Jay Williams believes that amidst the biggest stories of the NCAA Tournament, Cooper Flagg could emerge as the biggest story in the NBA. Just hours before the first round of games for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, ESPN’s First Take discussed which team winning a national championship would create the most buzz, with Williams, a notable Duke alum, confidently choosing Duke due to Flagg, an American-born player who he feels has the potential to rally a specific demographic.
“There are pictures of him in college basketball with his face and the American flag behind it. Think about everything happening in our country right now. About what it means to be America. ‘America first’” – Jay Williams on Cooper Flagg’s marketability pic.twitter.com/AGeVh7IbIB
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“What do we have happening in the NBA right now?” Williams questioned. “From Giannis and Jokic to Joel Embiid, most MVPs are international players. And what do we want in the All-Star Game? We want international players vs American players. Regardless of opinions, there’s a real conversation about who will be the face of the league.” He highlighted Stephen A. Smith’s belief that the future face of the league needs to be American-born, ignoring notable international athletes like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Dončić. He pointed out that Anthony Edwards has already removed himself from the equation. So, who can the NBA turn to for its next face? An 18-year-old from Maine, Cooper Flagg.
“There are images of him in college basketball with his face and the American flag in the background,” Williams said. “With everything at play in our country, he represents something significant. He’s from Maine—not a major city—symbolizing a larger stage for the nation. If Duke wins and Cooper Flagg shines, it transcends basketball. The question then shifts to whether he can be the face of the league moving forward.”
However, Cooper Flagg will need to accomplish more than just leading Duke to a national championship to secure his status as the NBA’s face. Williams referenced Caitlin Clark’s considerable impact on women’s college basketball and the WNBA, emphasizing that while he wasn’t making a direct comparison, Flagg hasn’t had the same draw. Unlike Clark, who entered a league primed for growth, the NBA lacks that immediate potential for amplification.
Though there remains the possibility for Cooper Flagg to evolve into the NBA’s face, particularly with the unknowns concerning who will eventually step into that role, his success at Duke may not heavily influence that trajectory. Much like LeBron James, who didn’t need any collegiate accolades to dominate the NBA for two decades, Flagg’s collegiate success may not be a prerequisite for standing out in the league.
