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In the middle of the downward television ratings, the NBA welcomed its last young superstar at the League on Wednesday evening when Cooper Flagg was drafted with the overall choice n ° 1 of the Dallas Mavericks out of Duke.
As one of the most publicized perspectives in the recent history of the NBA, many experts insect the native of Maine with 9 inches as potentially the next face of the League.
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Here is everything that to know about Flagg, which has already made a remarkable story before even going on a NBA court:
Flagg is the first white American to be drafted n ° 1 in total in almost 50 years, which has drawn the controversial attention of the media to the breed
The last time a white player of American origin as Flagg was the first choice of the NBA recovery was Kent Benson in 1977. Since then, each first overall choice was either a minority, born abroad or both.
The ESPN star, Stephen A. Smith, made a comment on the color of the flagg skin during a television discussion on the network with the co-host Jay Williams in March while discussing the marketing of the phenomenon in the NBA.
Cooper Flagg, on the right, shakes hands with the NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, after being selected first on the whole by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the NBA basketball draft on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in New York. (AP photo / Adam Hunger)
“Think of all the conversations we have, whether the players want it or not, I hate it, but it’s a real thing, who will be the face of the league?” Asked Williams.
“Cooper Flagg now. There are photos of him in university basketball with his face and the American flag behind. Think of everything that is happening in our country right now. What it means to be America.” America first. “Okay, he’s from Maine.
Smith intervened, saying: “I love what you mentioned. Cooper Flagg, the American flag, and call it what it is, white. We see some of these European brothers, but again, Europe is not American. When you look at it from this point of view, marketing.”
Smith followed the subject with similar comments in May during an episode of ESPN “First Take”.
“When you have someone with this kind of potential, and you are white and you are in America, you keep this guy. I tell you now,” said Smith. “The first business order is that it can ball. It is because it can play, but the fact that it is white, marketable – even its name makes it more marketable. I do not transmit it at all.”
Meanwhile, the British media “The Guardian” published a feature film in December entitled “Cooper Flagg: the” Cold -A – a white boy “Breaking the Basketball Discourse”, 17 years old. The article described Flagg as “The Next Great White Hope, Caitlin Clark 2.0”.
The article was strongly criticized for putting such an emphasis on the Flagg breed.
The drafting of Flagg by the Mavericks is the subject of generalized conspiracy theories
The Mavericks met with the first selection of this year despite a 1.8% chance – the 11th best dimensions of the League – to get the choice of the recovery lottery after having finished the season with a 39-43 file.
The result of the miraculous lottery of the Mavericks occurred months after the organization has done a doubtful trade to send the superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers of LeBron James in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a choice of first round in 2029, that many experts considered a value of course.
This sequence of events has prompted many fans and experts to speculate on the potential theories of the conspiracy on the way and why Dallas obtained the choice despite such low chances for this.
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June 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, United States; Cooper Flagg arrives before the first round of the NBA 2025 draft at Barclays Center. (Images of Brad Penner-Imagn)
During Wednesday’s draft at the Barclay Center in New York, a fan of attendance in “Dallas was regulated”, which was captured on the ESPN broadcast.
Flagg himself was asked about these theories at a press conference on Wednesday evening after being drafted.
“I don’t know what to say about it. I have no initiates information, if that’s what you are looking for. But I just feel blessed for the way everything worked.”
Flagg is from Maine and he was told that he never went to division I, not to mention the NBA
Flagg was born in Newport, Maine – a state that does not have the most fascinating history in the production of basketball talents.
The most eminent player to get out of Maine was the former Olympic gold medalist Jeff Turner, who played to Vanderbilt in the early 1980s and played in the NBA from 1984 to 1996. But he was outside the NBA from 1986 to 1989 while playing in Italy.
Miami Heat player Duncan Robinson was born in Maine, but he grew up in New Hampshire and was not recovered during the 2018 draft.
Flagg said we say The Associated Press In May, he was told that his history as myner prompted a lot of people to tell him that he would “never” play Basketball in division I.
The Duke Blue Devils Cooper Flagg (2) striker goes to the bench during the first half against the heels of Tar Caroline from the North to the Spectrum Center. (Jim Dedmon-Imagn images)
“Growing up in Maine, there are people who told me that I would never be able to go to the next level or play basketball from division I because I come from Maine and no one plays up there,” said Flagg. “I think this message does not matter where you come from, as long as you work hard and trust yourself and trust your capacity, so you can really do anything.”
Flagg did not let skepticism have an impact on his ambitions.
“No matter where you come from,” said Flagg during the project combination. “If you have a goal, if you have a dream and you get your mind … I mean, honestly, for me, it’s not real until I am in high school, but I have always liked basketball game. I have always put the work. I have always wanted to be the best I can be.”
Now, instead of an obstacle, the original state of Flagg gave him a unique nickname: “the Maine event”.
Flagg aligned himself with an outsider in the NBA sneakers wars
While most NBA stars have clothing features with Nike or Under Armor, Flagg has taken up a different flag in retail wars.
Flagg is signed with New Balance, which is based in the neighbor of the Massachusetts of his country of origin. Other NBA stars signed with this brand include Kawhi Leonard, Jamal Murray, Tyrese Maxey, Dejounte Murray, Zach Lavine, Darius Garland and Aaron Nesmit.
But now Flagg can prove to be the biggest ambassador of the brand, while the company seeks to face the leaders of the Nike and Under Armor market.
“I am so proud to call Maine my original state and I am grateful for all the support I have received,” Flagg said in a press release sent to PK Press Club Digital. “Thank you to Governor Mills and New Balance for helping to strengthen my belief in the value of teamwork and that if you stick to something and keep working, you can make everything.”
Nike has been strongly criticized in the past year by militants of female sport rights for its official position of the company To support trans athletes in female and girls sports.
