Stephen A. Smith cites Cooper Flagg being white as reason Mavericks shouldn’t trade him

Stephen A. Smith wouldn’t draft Cooper Flagg solely because he’s white, but he thinks the Dallas Mavericks should keep him because he’s white.

After trading away a generational talent in Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas won the right to draft another generational talent in Cooper Flagg thanks to the NBA Draft Lottery on Monday. The Mavericks are now presented with an opportunity to develop Flagg into a franchise player, or potentially trade him for a ready-made talent like Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Smith, however, argued the Mavericks have to draft and keep Flagg. Not just because he’s an 18-year-old generational talent. But because he’s a white 18-year-old generational talent.

“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.”

Smith cited seeing an ad where Flagg’s face was in front of an American flag. He also recalled once watching Martin on television in Texas, and the show paused so the network could air the national anthem.

“Jerry Jones taught me this,” Smith said. “Texas is different. And in Dallas, Texas, if you got an opportunity to get Cooper Flagg, you take Cooper Flagg.”

It would be naïve to think there won’t be fans who gravitate toward Flagg because they identify with him. There aren’t many white American stars in men’s basketball. But minutes after arguing the Mavericks should keep Flagg because he’s white, Smith sought to clarify his stance.

“People love to misquote this show. I am in no way saying that you keep the number one overall pick just because Cooper Flagg is white. The first order of business is, he can ball,” Smith said. “It’s because he can play, but the fact that he’s white, marketable, even his name makes him more marketable! I’m not passing that up at all.”

Obviously, we recognize part of Flagg’s appeal is that he’s a generational talent. Smith is not suggesting the Dallas Mavericks draft Ron Baker with the first overall pick. But Smith is arguing a team in Texas should value Flagg more than an already established player like Giannis Antetokounmpo, in part, because he’s white. That is not a mischaracterization of what Smith said.