Controversial sports commentator Skip Bayless will say just about anything to go viral and keep his name buzzing.
Such was the case in his latest rant.
Bayless compared Cooper Flagg to Boston Celtics great Larry Bird on Wednesday via a tweet.
He went on to claim that the No. 1 pick in this year’s NBA draft is “the closest thing” to the basketball Hall of Famer. He then congratulated the Dallas Mavericks for getting a two-way player, who he said would be in Bird’s “universe.”
The veteran sports talk show then doubled down on his Flagg-Bird comparison in his podcast less than 24 hours later.
The Fox Sports analyst mentioned being called a reverse racist.
“Well, if you’ve followed my career, when it came to basketball, I’ve never had much respect for – much USE for – white American players,” Skip Bayless said.
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“In fact, many, many times over my career, I’ve often been called reverse racist. But, come on. Show me a white American player remotely close to Larry Bird since he retired in 1992.”
Is it fair for me to compare white American player to white American player? Well, if you've followed my career, when it came to basketball, I've never had much respect for – much USE for – white American players — in fact, I've often been called reverse racist. pic.twitter.com/FaE711CaAR
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 27, 2025
Cooper Flagg is officially a Dallas Maverick.
The franchise selected the former Duke basketball star with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday.
Flagg averaged 19.2 points with 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game on 48.1% shooting during his lone season with the Blue Devils, leading the program to the Final Four.
How Fans Reacted To Skip Bayless Words
There is no reverse racism skip. Theres just racism. The term makes 0 sense
— Unfiltered Thoughts (@thoughtsunfil) June 27, 2025
“And nobody knew you to call you anything. U just propping yourself up as someone who was relevant. Nobody will feel for u or be even sad when u r gone. Not 1,” a second person stated.
And nobody knew you to call you anything. U just propping urself up as someone who was relevant. Nobody will feel for u or be even sad when u r gone. Not 1.
— Mani Aiyer (@realManiAiyer) June 27, 2025
“That RIGHT THERE is the kind of NONSENSE that needs to be CHECKED at the DOOR! Skip out here talkin’ like we’re still stuck in 1975! Let me be VERY CLEAR – talent does NOT come with a COLOR CODE. Whether you are BLACK, WHITE, BROWN, or PURPLE, if you can BALL, you can BALL. Now you wanna act like you’ve “never had much use” for white American players??? What kind of IGNORANT statement is that? That ain’t basketball analysis – that’s just LAZY, divisive talk masked as “truth-telling.” Let me remind you…Larry Bird wasn’t just good, he was a DAMN ASSASSIN on the court. John Stockton? One of the GREATEST point guards EVER. Kevin McHale? C’mon now! Skip, with all due respect, you owe the game – and the fans – BETTER than that!” one final fan added.
That RIGHT THERE is the kind of NONSENSE that needs to be CHECKED at the DOOR!
— Not Stephen A Smith (@StephenATruths) June 27, 2025
Skip out here talkin’ like we still stuck in 1975!
Let me be VERY CLEAR – talent does NOT come with a COLOR CODE.
Whether you BLACK, WHITE, BROWN, or PURPLE, if you can BALL, you can BALL.
Now…
