Stephen A. Smith sparked a powerful conversation on ESPN’s First Take when he addressed the magnitude of Cooper Flagg’s arrival in the NBA and the Dallas Mavericks’ decision-making with the No. 1 overall pick. Smith emphasized not only Flagg’s elite basketball talent but also the marketability and cultural impact of potentially having a white American superstar in today’s NBA landscape.
“Cooper Flagg and then everybody else. When you got somebody with that kind of potential and they’re white and you are in America, you keep that dude. You keep it.”
“I’m telling you right now, with my Black self, if I’m the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, I ain’t thinking about grabbing somebody else. I’m not thinking about moving Cooper Flagg. I’m grabbing Cooper Flagg. He’s the number one overall pick.”
“I mean, think, and just think about the market. Do you know, I saw some commercial, I forgot whether it was a commercial or an endorsement deal, do you know he had the American flag behind him? Just think about that. Think about the marketability.”
“I’m not talking about just keeping him just because he’s white. I’m saying a brother can play. He’s special. He’s a special talent. And then when you think about it, they just let go of Luka. So you can’t let go.”
“Jerry Jones taught me this. This is what I learned from that. When I say this kind of stuff, I get this kind of stuff from Jerry Jones. When I say we’re talking about Texas, that’s Jerry Jones right there. That’s what Jerry Jones reminded me. This is Texas. It’s a little bit different.”
“True story. This actually happened. I’m in Austin, Texas last year, South by Southwest. I’m in my hotel room.”
“I’ve never seen this happen in my life. I’m watching an episode of Martin, you know, Martin Lawrence, great comedic genius that he is, and in the middle of the episode, the program gets interrupted so they can air the national anthem with the American flag on the screen.”
“I’ve never seen that happen in my life. It was on television. That’s what happened. Okay. Texas is different.”
“And in Dallas, Texas, if you got an opportunity to get Cooper Flagg, you take Cooper Flagg, especially when you just let go of Luka Doncic, and especially when everybody’s talking about him as having the best potential to be the best white American player since Larry Bird. Yes, you keep that pick.”
Flagg has been touted as one of the most polished and complete young prospects to enter the draft in years. A 6-foot-9 forward with elite defensive instincts, three-level scoring ability, and rare court awareness, he has drawn comparisons to Larry Bird and Kevin Durant in terms of IQ and all-around impact.
Flagg’s breakout season at Duke only added fuel to the hype, where he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 39% from three-point range and leading the Blue Devils to a 35–4 record and a Final Four appearance.
He became the first freshman in NCAA history to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks over an entire season. Many now expect him to be the face of a franchise for the next decade.
Smith’s comments came in response to reports from Brian Windhorst, who revealed that the Mavericks have been long pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo and could be willing to offer Cooper Flagg in a trade to land the two-time MVP.
While Giannis is a generational superstar, Smith was adamant that Dallas would be making a grave mistake moving Flagg so soon after trading away Luka Doncic.
Though Flagg is reportedly thrilled to join the Mavericks, the whispers of a Giannis trade loom large. With the Bucks facing another early playoff exit and Giannis finally open to exploring options outside Milwaukee, the Mavs are uniquely positioned.
Yet, as Stephen A. insists, sometimes the smartest move isn’t chasing the proven star, it’s building around the one you just drafted to become one.
And in Flagg’s case, Smith believes the Mavericks may have stumbled into more than a future All-Star; they may have found a white American icon the NBA hasn’t seen in decades.
