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

On Wednesday night, Cooper Flagg became the next cornerstone piece of the Dallas Mavericks franchise after going No. 1 in the 2025 NBA draft. 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, as did 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 said the versatile forward has a chance to quickly become a household name like Caitlin Clark did in the WNBA.

"Cooper Flagg is a white guy, maybe the best white American prospect since Larry Bird," 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 try to compete in the Western Conference.

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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 said 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.