“Amidst a media frenzy over Caitlin Clark’s high rookie season expectations, two prominent ESPN personalities are now voicing similar concerns about another emerging phenom.
During their ‘Pardon the Interruption’ show on Thursday, hosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon discussed 17-year-old basketball star and incoming Duke five-star prospect Cooper Flagg.
“Because he’s going to Duke, and because he is a white player, assumptions are going to be made. Statements are going to be thrown out there,” Kornheiser said. “That is the nature of what we’re dealing with here, as it is with Caitlin Clark. I hope that he is a great player, but the pressure on him will be enormous. Will there be a great white American basketball player, sort of like Larry Bird?
“And, if there is, will he be allowed to just be a basketball player, or will all these cultural notions overwhelm him?”
Wilbon concurred, suggesting that the varying popularity between men’s and women’s basketball could influence any future discussions about race.
“I hope this kid has the stomach for this, Tone, with parents who can help, and teammates who can help. But, Tony, this is a real thing,” Wilbon expressed. “People don’t really want to get into it with Caitlin Clark. This is new, and newer to women’s sports.
“But there won’t be that same reluctance and reticence when it comes to Cooper Flagg and Duke.”
ESPN stars worried Cooper Flagg will face same ‘pressure’ as Caitlin Clark https://t.co/6qOasDaV28 pic.twitter.com/N5JzzjQRxr
— New York Post (@nypost) July 12, 2024
