Controversial sports commentator Skip Bayless left fans baffled on Thursday after posting a long rant hitting out at the talent of white American basketball players – and referencing himself as a ‘reverse racist’.
Bayless is never far from the headlines and remains at the forefront of American sports media, despite leaving Fox almost a year ago after falling out with long-time co-host Shannon Sharpe.
He now posts his rants to an eponymous YouTube channel and his latest episode turned heads in the wake of the 2025 NBA Draft.
Speaking about Wednesday’s No 1 pick and the new superstar of the Dallas Mavericks, he began: ‘Cooper Flagg will be the best white American player since Larry Bird.
‘I’m not saying that I’m seeing Larry Bird [in Flagg], not yet, because I’ve never seen anything like Larry Bird when it came to clutch gene, basketball genius IQ, killer will, defiant arrogant trash-talking confidence, all-time great leadership right up there with Michael Jordan’s, Magic Johnson’s.
‘So is it fair for me to compare white American player to white American player? Well if you followed my career, when it came to basketball – I have been painfully honest about this – I have never ever had much respect, much use for, white American players.’
Cooper Flagg shakes hands with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being selected first
Skip Bayless spoke about Cooper Flagg and bizarrely claimed to be a ‘reverse racist’
Read MoreEXCLUSIVE Secrets of the NBA Draft… and what the TV cameras didn’t show you
From there, the conversation veered further off-course and Bayless began to speak about the issue of racism.
‘In fact,’ he claimed, ‘many many many times over my career I’ve been called reverse racist… but, come on, show me a white American player remotely close to Larry Bird since he retired in 1992.
‘Cooper Flagg is 6’9 tall with athletic ability and leaping ability Larry Bird never thought about having. Cooper Flagg is at least going to be in Bird’s universe.’
Flagg was selected No 1 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday, becoming the first white American player to go first since 1977.
The Mavericks won the lottery for the draft months ago, giving them the rights to select the Duke University freshman forward.
However, many conspiracy theories surfaced online after Dallas were given the first pick – given that they had a mere 1.8 per cent chance of doing so.
Some fans on social media claimed that the Mavericks were given the favorable pick after their controversial trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers last season.
Flagg dominated the NBA Draft on Wednesday night and was picked by the Dallas Mavericks
Bayless says Flagg is the best white American player since Larry Bird (pictured in 1986)
However, Flagg was asked about the wild theories shortly after being selected by Dallas and gave his take on the matter.
One reporter asked: ‘There are tons of rumors that the NBA gave Dallas the pick to get you in exchange for Luka Doncic, do you have any reaction to that?’
Flagg replied: ‘Nope! I don’t know what to say about that.
‘I have no insider information, if that’s what you’re looking for. I just feel blessed for the way it all worked out.’
