Stephen A Smith did not hold back when talking about why the Dallas Mavericks will select Cooper Flagg in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Flagg is widely expected to be the top overall pick in the upcoming rookie selection.
As he seems to do quite a bit, Smith said race will play a big role in Dallas’s decision to take the former Duke Blue Devils star.
“When you got somebody with that kind of potential and they’re white and you are in America, you keep that dude,” Stephen A Smith said on ESPN’s First Take.
“If I’m the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, I ain’t thinking about drafting somebody else. I am not thinking about moving Cooper Flagg. I’m grabbing Cooper Flagg. He’s the No. 1 overall pick.”
"When you got somebody with that kind of potential and they’re white and you are in America, you keep that dude…Texas is different. And in Dallas, Texas, if you got an opportunity to take Cooper Flagg, you take Cooper Flagg." – Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/eFjVMRaqD6
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 14, 2025
Fans were not happy about his comments and called him out for spewing racism.
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“Racist,” one fan stated.
Racist
— Major Churchill (@MajorChurchill) May 14, 2025
“Wow Screamin A brought up Race on a sports show. #Shocker,” a second fan added.
Wow Screamin A brought up Race on a sports show. #Shocker
— Brian Reichert (@_BrianReichert) May 14, 2025
“That brown leather ball is colorblind, homie…It doesn’t give a fck what your skin looks like,” a third fan said to Stephen A Smith.
That brown leather ball is colorblind homie…It doesn’t give a fck what your skin looks like
— JoJo (@JoeBlowGoLowLow) May 14, 2025
“White”….racism is alive and well,” a fourth fan commented.
“White”….racism is alive and well
— Derrick Harter (@dharter444) May 14, 2025
“Boy, I miss the ’70s. There was racism and we might fight, hell we were coming off the civil rights movement, but we all coexisted because we all had a sense of humor. Look at this team. Blacks, Hispanics, Jews, and Italians. I’m Italian and I’m offended that they called this guy Salami! Hey Stephen A, check out my first chocolate crush. Principal of Carver High! This bae is lit! O’Reilly from Long Island is the only person on the planet that can shut Stephen A up!” one final fan added.
Boy I miss the 70’s. There was racism and we might fight, hell we were coming off the civil rights movement, but we all coexisted because we all had a sense of humor. Look at this team. Blacks, Hispanics, Jews and Italians. I’m Italian and I’m offended that they called this… pic.twitter.com/24vXNJ87qV
— Greg M (@GregMfromLatham) May 14, 2025
Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. He shot 48.1 percent from the field, including 38.5 percent from beyond the arc.
Stephen A Smith Had Glowing Words About Cooper Flagg
The Mavericks won the draft lottery on Monday, giving them the right to select Flagg.
Smith may have brought up his race, but he had nothing but glowing words to say about him.
Smith also said that Flagg “can play” and “he’s a special talent.”
“We’re talking about Texas,” Smith said. “That’s Jerry Jones right there. … Texas is different. And in Dallas, Texas, if you got an opportunity to take Cooper Flagg, you take Cooper Flagg.”
Also Read: Stephen A. Smith Is Turning Heads With Surprising Debut On ‘Law & Order’
