Cooper Flagg’s rapid rise has already put him in the center of the NBA conversation, but one former Maverick sparked a very different kind of discussion around the young Dallas forward.
Flagg, who won Rookie of the Year in 2025-26, has opened his second season looking every bit like an All-NBA contender. Through his first five games of 2026-27, he’s averaging 26.8 points, 6.6 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game.
That production has pushed Flagg toward star territory fast. It also led to backlash for Charlie Villanueva after the former NBA forward made comments about whether a white player can be the face of the league.
Villanueva, who played in the NBA from 2005-16 and had a late stint with the Mavericks, made the remarks 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?”
He later pushed the point further.
“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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Rebounding is the obvious one, and coach Mike Boynton Jr. made it clear the guards have to be part of the answer. Against a UConn team that typically punishes second chances, Michigan knows the margin for error will shrink fast, which makes the work on the glass one of the first real tests of the young season. [Read more 🡒]