Race will almost certainly be part of the discussion when the Dallas Mavericks inevitably draft Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick in next month's NBA Draft. Certain players and commentators still can't get past the idea of a modern-day white superstar. Stephen A. Smith is one of them.
This week, Smith encouraged the Mavs not to trade the pick because Texas sports fans are drawn to white athletes.
"When you’ve got somebody with that kind of potential, and they’re white, and you are in America, you keep that dude. I’m telling you right now," Smith said.
"With my black self, I’m the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, I ain’t thinking about drafting somebody else. I’m not thinking about moving Cooper Flagg. I’m drafting Cooper Flagg… just think about the marketability."
"Texas is different," he added.
Not really.
Texas, like every other state in 2025, just wants to see its teams win games. Dallas embraced Dirk Nowitzki, Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, and Anthony Davis because they helped the Mavs win games.
For the same reason, they will embrace Flagg.
Dallas shouldn't draft Flagg because he's white. The team should draft him because he's viewed as one of the rare can't-miss prospects, similar to Victor Wembanyama two years ago.
And while trading the pick for, say, Giannis Antetokounmpo would be enticing, Antetokounmpo is 30-years-old. Flagg doesn't turn 19 until December.
Flagg likely won't be as good as Antetokounmpo over the next two to three years. But there are the next 15 years, unless Nico Harrison pulls a Nico Harrison.
That said, Smith's strange jab at Texas won't be the last time race is mentioned while discussing Flagg.
Just wait until Kendrick Perkins appears alongside Smith to discuss Flagg's potential. There's a good chance that Flagg could end up as one of Perkins' least favorite players, alongside Jokic and Luka.
While the conversation about Flagg likely won't be as racially toxic as the discussion around Caitlin Clark, it could come close.
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