Cooper Flagg’s rapid rise in his second NBA season has put him in a place most young players only dream about. After taking Rookie of the Year honors in 2025-26, the Dallas forward has opened 2026-27 looking every bit like an All-NBA candidate, averaging 26.8 points, 6.6 assists and 6.0 rebounds across his first five games.
But while Flagg’s game has been drawing praise, a former Mavericks player stirred up backlash with comments about whether a white player can be the face of the league.
Charlie Villanueva, who played in the NBA from 2005-16 and had a late stint with Dallas, made the remark while appearing on the “To The Baha” podcast with Thoe Pinson and other former NBA players.
“ This might sound crazy, but I don’t think in 2026 a white dude could be - I’m gonna be real - could be the face of the league, if I’m being honest,” Villanueva said.“Because it's a Black league, right?”
The conversation kept going, and Villanueva stood by the point. He later said, “When is the last time we’ve seen a white man be the face of the league?
Don’t say Larry Bird, they had to pair him up with Magic,” Villanueva said. “When was the last time a white man was single-handedly the best player in the league?”
Villanueva also addressed the reaction on his own social media account, where he said the NBA is “70 to 75 percent Black.”
“I see the comments BUT I still don't think some of y'all understand what I'm trying to say,” Villanueva captioned his past. “And for the record, Cooper Flagg is HIM, wanna my favorite players!”
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