Chris Boussard Claims Cooper Flagg Will Fill ‘Great White American Superstar’ Void in NBA

Chris Broussard said Cooper Flagg's recent showing has convinced him that Flagg is the 2026 ROY.

Chris Boussard Claims Cooper Flagg Will Fill ‘Great White American Superstar’ Void in NBA

Chris Broussard on Cooper Flagg (Image credits - Firstsportz)

In Short
  • Cooper Flagg is having a standout rookie season, scoring 96 points in his last two games.
  • Chris Broussard claims Flagg will be the first white American superstar in the NBA since the 1990s.
  • LeBron James praises Flagg and the promising 2025 NBA draft class, highlighting their impact on the league.

Cooper Flagg is having an impressive debut season in the NBA. Drafted as the number one pick in the 2025 NBA draft, the Dallas Mavericks found their replacement for Luka Doncic after trading the Slovenian superstar for Anthony Davis and a number one pick.

American sports analyst Chris Broussard said Flagg will be the first white American superstar in the NBA since the 1990s.

I was saying years ago, I would love to see a white American superstar in the NBA. The last one was John Stockton, but he wasn’t an exciting player. I’d like to see somebody like a Larry Bird, and we have obviously Jokic and Luka, who are great white international players. But Cooper Flagg is a great white American player, and he is going to be a superstar. And so that’s great to see. I think it’s just good for the league.

Chris Broussard on FS1’s The Herd with Colin Cowherd 

Over the last two games, Cooper Flagg has been on a tear. After becoming the first teenager to score 50 points in an NBA game against the Orlando Magic, Flagg followed it up with another staggering performance against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 19-year-old scored 45 points to go along with eight rebounds and nine assists as the Mavs registered a 134-128 victory over the Lakers at the American Airlines Center on Sunday night. The game saw Flagg and LeBron James become the first players in NBA history to each score 20+ points in the same game, with one player age 40+ and the other a teenager. Hence, it is not surprising that Chris Broussard sees the young forward as a future superstar in the league.

Since setting foot into the NBA, Flagg has broken several records as a rookie. While the Mavs sit at 11th place in the Western Conference standings and are out of playoff contention, they will be optimistic about their future with Flagg leading the franchise.

Will Cooper Flagg win the Rookie of the Year award?

It has been a while since the NBA saw a white American superstar. The last one would have been Larry Bird. With the way things have gone so far, Cooper Flagg is very likely to be the next.

Mavs have to build around Cooper Flagg
Mavs have to build around Cooper Flagg (Image via Sean Davi/X)

After scoring 96 points in his last two games, he was tied for the fifth-most by any rookie over a two-game stretch, trailing only four historic performances by Wilt Chamberlain. A week ago, it looked like the race for the Rookie of the Year award was between Flagg and Charlotte Hornets rookie, Kon Knueppel. But it appears that Flagg is a strong frontrunner at the moment.

However, with just four games to go, Flagg is having a strong end to the season and is breaking multiple rookie awards along the way. The Mavs rookie is currently averaging 21.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 66 appearances this season.

LeBron James drops honest take on Cooper Flagg and 2025 Draft Class

The 2025 NBA draft class seems to be the most promising draft class in a while. The likes of VJ Edgecombe, Kon Knueppel, and Dylan Harper have all been having great rookie seasons in the NBA.

LeBron James, who was in a stacked draft class himself back in 2003, spoke highly of Flagg and the 2025 NBA draft class.

He’s obviously special. I’ve seen that all the way back to the AAU days. He’s taken what he did back home to the AAU circuit, to Duke, and now here—he’s just getting better and better. Looks like he loves the game. It’s a great rookie class. You look at VJ in Philly. Look at Kon in Charlotte, Dylan in San Antonio. All those guys are making an impact on their respective teams. So, the league is in good hands.

LeBron James in his post-match media scrum

The Mavs will be optimistic about having a much better 2026-27 season. Cooper Flagg will develop his game, and Kyrie Irving will be making his return after missing an entire season due to an ACL tear.

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