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‘Not ruling it out’ – Skip Bayless’ outlandish claim March Madness star can be better than Larry Bird
Cooper Flagg’s stock is at an all-time high. And Skip Bayless is buying all of it. Flagg has been the best player in college basketball this seasonGetty Flagg has paced the Blue Devils so far in the NCAA tournament all the way to the Elite Eight, where they will take on the Alabama Crimson Tide. He has been the best player on the court for Duke’s three victories and Bayless is ready to go all in on the presumed number one overall draft pick. Even going so far as to compare him to an all-time great. During Flagg’s impressive showing against Arizona in the Sweet 16, Bayless took to X and posted a video of himself singing the praises of the star 18-year-old. “I’m already trying to figure out if we’re watching the greatest white American player since Larry Joe Bird,” Bayless said. “Heck, I must admit, I’m already asking — probably unfairly — if Cooper Flagg could be better than Larry Bird? “I seriously doubt he can be, or will be. But he’s so good, so early, I must admit, I’m not ruling that out. Not yet.” It is an unfair comparison to stack the baby-face teenager next to one of the greatest players that has ever touched a basketball and Bayless admitted as much. But that still didn’t stop him from making it. Bayless has pushed all of his chips into the middle of the table when it comes to Flagg. Flagg dominated Arizona in the Sweet 16Getty The 18-year-old star is looking to bring a sixth championship back to Durham, North Carolina “I kept saying to my TV, or maybe yelling at my TV, ‘Just attack. They can’t stop you,’ Bayless said. “Cooper Flagg had 15 points at half on just five shots. Wound up with just 18 total points for the game, but he did lead his team in rebounds with nine and assists with six. “And of course, I had to keep reminding myself that Cooper Flagg was just doing only what his team needed him to do. “Which wasn’t all that much, in this game. And he’s barely 18.” An 18-year-old that will soon be in the NBA, where he has already proven to fit right in. Bayless referenced the Team USA scrimmage that the Olympic team had over the summer with Flagg and other young stars, where Flagg more than held his own and even stood out amongst the game’s elite. March Madness Top Stories Ranking the greatest players in NCAA men’s March Madness history – from Michael Jordan to Magic Johnson ‘This sister is special’ – Stephen A. Smith identifies rising star who can challenge Caitlin Clark’s WNBA dominance March Madness legends who are still balling in NBA today – from Steph Curry to Ja Morant NCAA March Madness is bigger and better than the College Football Playoff – the springtime phenomenon is bigger than ever Biggest March Madness upsets in history of NCAA Tournament – top seeds humiliated as small schools enjoy their moment “He’s playing with a bunch of McDonald’s All-Americans, trying to keep everybody happy as kind of the point forward for that team,” Bayless continued. “He’s not playing with a bunch of Indiana State Sycamores, Indiana State nobodies. “Remember, he announced his presence, did Cooper Flagg, in that scrimmage against our Olympic team before it left for Paris. “Remember, in Las Vegas? “He just took over a scrimmage against LeBron and KD and company — and Steph. Just took it over down the stretch. And all of a sudden, we’re all on high alert for Cooper Flagg, 17 years of age.” Flagg and Duke will now face their toughest test, as the two-seeded Crimson Tide stand in their way between them and a trip to the Final Four. We know who Bayless has. How to watch March Madness in the UK *If you click a link in this box we will earn affiliate revenue March Madness is one of the most exciting times of the year for basketball fans, with a total of 68 teams battling it out to become the Division 1 college champions. This year UConn have the chance to become only the second team ever to complete a March Madness three-peat, having emerged victorious for the last two years. talkSPORT will have the latest news on the tournament, but for UK basketball fans the way to watch is through Sky Sports. The broadcaster will be showing EVERY March Madness game through their Sky Sports + streaming service. Click here to sign up to a Sky Sports subscription, or read our article on the best Sky Sports deals available now.
Cooper Flagg’s stock is at an all-time high.
And Skip Bayless is buying all of it.
Flagg has paced the Blue Devils so far in the NCAA tournament all the way to the Elite Eight, where they will take on the Alabama Crimson Tide.
He has been the best player on the court for Duke’s three victories and Bayless is ready to go all in on the presumed number one overall draft pick.
Even going so far as to compare him to an all-time great.
During Flagg’s impressive showing against Arizona in the Sweet 16, Bayless took to X and posted a video of himself singing the praises of the star 18-year-old.
“I’m already trying to figure out if we’re watching the greatest white American player since Larry Joe Bird,” Bayless said.
“Heck, I must admit, I’m already asking — probably unfairly — if Cooper Flagg could be better than Larry Bird?
“I seriously doubt he can be, or will be. But he’s so good, so early, I must admit, I’m not ruling that out. Not yet.”
It is an unfair comparison to stack the baby-face teenager next to one of the greatest players that has ever touched a basketball and Bayless admitted as much.
But that still didn’t stop him from making it.
Bayless has pushed all of his chips into the middle of the table when it comes to Flagg.
“I kept saying to my TV, or maybe yelling at my TV, ‘Just attack. They can’t stop you,’ Bayless said.
“Cooper Flagg had 15 points at half on just five shots. Wound up with just 18 total points for the game, but he did lead his team in rebounds with nine and assists with six.
“And of course, I had to keep reminding myself that Cooper Flagg was just doing only what his team needed him to do.
“Which wasn’t all that much, in this game. And he’s barely 18.”
An 18-year-old that will soon be in the NBA, where he has already proven to fit right in.
Bayless referenced the Team USA scrimmage that the Olympic team had over the summer with Flagg and other young stars, where Flagg more than held his own and even stood out amongst the game’s elite.
March Madness Top Stories
Ranking the greatest players in NCAA men’s March Madness history – from Michael Jordan to Magic Johnson
‘This sister is special’ – Stephen A. Smith identifies rising star who can challenge Caitlin Clark’s WNBA dominance
March Madness legends who are still balling in NBA today – from Steph Curry to Ja Morant
NCAA March Madness is bigger and better than the College Football Playoff – the springtime phenomenon is bigger than ever
Biggest March Madness upsets in history of NCAA Tournament – top seeds humiliated as small schools enjoy their moment
“He’s playing with a bunch of McDonald’s All-Americans, trying to keep everybody happy as kind of the point forward for that team,” Bayless continued.
“He’s not playing with a bunch of Indiana State Sycamores, Indiana State nobodies.
“Remember, he announced his presence, did Cooper Flagg, in that scrimmage against our Olympic team before it left for Paris.
“Remember, in Las Vegas?
“He just took over a scrimmage against LeBron and KD and company — and Steph. Just took it over down the stretch. And all of a sudden, we’re all on high alert for Cooper Flagg, 17 years of age.”
Flagg and Duke will now face their toughest test, as the two-seeded Crimson Tide stand in their way between them and a trip to the Final Four.
We know who Bayless has.
How to watch March Madness in the UK
*If you click a link in this box we will earn affiliate revenue
March Madness is one of the most exciting times of the year for basketball fans, with a total of 68 teams battling it out to become the Division 1 college champions.
This year UConn have the chance to become only the second team ever to complete a March Madness three-peat, having emerged victorious for the last two years.
talkSPORT will have the latest news on the tournament, but for UK basketball fans the way to watch is through Sky Sports. The broadcaster will be showing EVERY March Madness game through their Sky Sports + streaming service.
Click here to sign up to a Sky Sports subscription, or read our article on the best Sky Sports deals available now.
