Peter Rosenberg posits Cooper Flagg as long-awaited ‘white American’ sensation, predicts Caitlin Clark-level explosion

On Wednesday night, Cooper Flagg officially became the next cornerstone piece of the Dallas Mavericks franchise. Ahead of his NBA tenure, one analyst compared the touted prospect to another mainstream star in sports.

Over the past decade, basketball has become more of a global game than ever. Most of the league’s top stars today hail from outside the United States, and so do the previous two No. 1 picks. Following a dominant run at Duke, Flagg is now poised to be the next prominent American prospect.

During Friday’s installment of “First Take” on ESPN, Peter Rosenberg touched on the hype around Cooper Flagg following the NBA draft. He feels the versatile forward has a chance to quickly become a household name like Caitlin Clark did in the WNBA.

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"Cooper Flagg is a white guy, maybe the best white American prospect since Larry Bird. Right," Rosenberg said. "Let's not act as if we don't live in America and we're not seeing what's happening with Caitlin Clark in the WNBA."

Heading into the NBA, Flagg finds himself on a rare journey for a top pick. Joining a roster with multiple All-Stars, he'll attempt to be impactful for Dallas on day one as they attempt to compete in the Western Conference.

Cooper Flagg speaks on big expectations ahead of NBA debut

As a 6-foot-9 forward who can impact the game in a variety of ways, Cooper Flagg is projected to be a star-level talent at the next level. Ahead of his first season in the pros, he touched on the outside noise around him.

Two days after being drafted by the Mavericks, Flagg touched down in Dallas and held his introductory press conference. When asked about the bar being set so high for him as a rookie, he is focusing on being the best version of himself while helping the Mavericks compete.

"I'm coming in just trying to learn and get better every single day," Flagg said. "I'm just trying to come in and be the best that I can be and just win at the highest level."

Last season, the Mavericks parted with Luka Doncic in a shocking blockbuster that sent him to the LA Lakers. As a prospect with a massive upward trajectory, Flagg is now tasked with filling the void left by the star guard. Along with competing alongside Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, he'll try to develop into a player the franchise can build around for the foreseeable future.

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About the author

Kevin McCormick

Kevin McCormick is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in journalism and a bachelor's degree in Sports Management Marketing from Holy Family University.

Kevin has worked with various notable outlets throughout his career, including 97.3 ESPN, ClutchPoints, Heavy Sports, and Sports Illustrated/FanNation, before joining Sportskeeda in March 2022.

Specializing in NBA and WNBA coverage, Kevin's passion for basketball stems from his hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers. Among his favorite players are Kevin Durant, Chet Holmgren, and Steph Curry, while his all-time favorites include Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

Kevin holds Coach K in high regard for the large input he's had on the game helping mold players across multiple generations. Kevin believes the iconic rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson helped elevate the league to its current status.

Through his writing, Kevin provides in-depth analysis and insights into player and coach quotes. He prioritizes sourcing information from credible and reliable outlets.

Kevin enjoys reading, aiming to finish at least one book per month, and he is a big fan of music.

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