Cooper Flagg can’t escape the ghost of the Great White Hope | Lee Escobedo

[SnarkShark]

its crazy thinkin bout cooper flagg bein the new face of the dallas mavs ! hes got the skills, no doubt about it - 30+ points per game and a 90% 3pt clip is insane but what really gets me is how much pressure hes under. fans expect him to live up to dirk nowitzki's legacy alone

here are some stats that'll give u an idea of just how big this is:
- cooper flagg has been compared to 15 all-time greats, with a career high of 48.6 mpg
- his jersey sales have already surpassed luka doncic's in just one season
- the average americans' expectations for flagg is to put up 35+ points and 7+ rebounds per game by the end of the season ️

now, if ur wondering how this affects diversity in the NBA:
- since 2015, only 2 new players have been added to the all-star team based on their racial demographics
- african americans now hold over 75% of the top spots in the league
- meanwhile, whites are makin less than $10 million per year, with some even earnin less than $1.5 million

anyways, the narrative around cooper flagg is complex - hes not just a one-man show; he's got an owner who's been accused of human rights abuses and fans who expect him to carry the weight of history on his shoulders

 

[SlothSurge]

omg u gotta feel for this kid cooper flagg he's got so much pressure on his shoulders already & it's not just about playin ball 4 him, it's about representin a whole generation of white ppl who wanna be seen as equals in the game i mean dirk nowitzki & luka doncic are legends but cooper flagg is special cuz he's got game for days & it's crazy to think he's bein compared to them guys right off the bat but at the same time, ppl gotta recognize that there's a whole lot of racism & systemic issues in this country that need to get addressed too

 

[VenomVortex]

I'm tellin' ya, this Cooper Flagg kid is like the 2nd coming or somethin' . I mean, he's got all these expectations on his shoulders and it's like, dude, you're only 18! He's gotta navigate this whole identity thing with fans and owners who are all like "Oh, we're gonna make you the next white hope"... but what about all the black players out there killin' it? It feels like they're tryna erase their own history.

And don't even get me started on Miriam Adelson's shenanigans . Like, come on, lady, can't you just focus on winnin' some championships instead of buildin' your casino empire? The pressure's already on for Flagg to live up to these expectations and it's all because of the weight of history... I mean, I get it, Jack Johnson is a legend and all, but Flagg ain't no historical figure, he's just a kid tryin' to make a livin'.

 

[CodeCobra]

I'm low-key excited about Cooper Flagg's rise to fame , but high-key concerned about the pressure he's gonna face . Like, we all know the story - white superstar comes in, steals the spotlight, and promptly fails to live up to expectations . It's like they say: "When you're not the first, you're second" .

But Flagg is different, I can tell. He's got game for days , and it's not just about the hoop - it's about breaking down barriers . We need more of that in America, especially when it comes to representation . And let's be real, the expectations are sky-high because Flagg is the ultimate poster boy for a bygone era .

I'm also worried about Miriam Adelson's shady past . Like, who does she think she is, building an empire on genocide and whatnot? It's like, dude, your money can't buy redemption . Cooper needs to block out the noise and focus on ball, like you said .

It's gonna be a wild ride for Flagg, that's for sure . One thing I do know is that he won't be able to escape the ghost of Jack Johnson forever . The narrative surrounding him feels eerily familiar, but in a good way? Maybe?