With the Duke Blue Devils eliminated from championship contention, it seems like we’ve already seen the last of Cooper Flagg in college basketball. He claimed that he would love to return, but that’s not likely to happen.
Flagg is touted as the next big thing in basketball. He’s projected to be the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and he’s not going to forgo that opportunity to stay in college another season.
However, Bobby Burack of Outkick is worried about his future in the league. In his latest column, he argued that he could face the same racial backlash Caitlin Clark faced in the WNBA.
Cooper Flagg could face racial backlash in the NBA
“Like Clark, Flagg projects to be a transcendent star at the next level. Comparisons to Jokic, Doncic, or Nowitzki fall apart when you consider the latter three were not born in America. American sports fans are drawn to American-born athletes. They always have been. Jokic has been the best player in the NBA for at least five seasons and isn’t even among the five biggest attractions in the league,” wrote Burack.
This makes sense to a degree, but it’s not like Flagg would be the first white superstar in the league. He wouldn’t even be the first white and American perennial All-Star.
At the end of the day, game recognizes game. Flagg’s talent is only topped by his work ethic, and his colleagues can respect that. Hopefully, that will also be the case with Clark in her second season in the league.
SURVEY Will race play a factor in the perception of Cooper Flagg?
Will race play a factor in the perception of Cooper Flagg?
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