COOPER FLAGG (Duke University photo).

The last Next Big Thing in pro basketball – Caitlin Clark – made a huge splash and put the women’s game on the front of the sports section.

The Next Big Thing in pro hoops may not be as big a deal, but could represent a significant moment in the sport.
His name is Cooper Flagg. He’s just starting his freshman season at Duke, but he’s already turning heads and soon – turning turnstiles.

Still only 17 years old, he’s not only shone in the Blue Devil’s first two games – both wins – but once hit two-of-three three-pointers over LeBron James in a contest between the USA Olympic team and its junior version, the USA Selects.

At 6-8 or so, he’s shown that he can prosper in a variety of roles, including rebounding and assists, as well as scoring. He’s considered a shoo-in for national college player of the year before making the leap to the NBA, perhaps as soon as next season.

He also has – in addition to a great name – one other major asset. He’s … you know … a white guy.

Race has long been a consideration in pro hoops. There was a time – the 1950s and 1960s – when it was an unwritten rule that while you could start three Black players at home, you used no more than two when on the road.

In the 1970s and 1980s, with NBA’s appeal slumping, the claim was that the league was “too Black” for a primarily white audience. Aside from Larry Bird, there were few pale hoopers playing at the highest “celebrity” level.

Films like “White Men Can’t Jump” underscored the myth that .. well, you know. The internationalization of the league has changed that. Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets has been the NBA’s MVP three times, for example.

It’s widely believed that there’s a certain element of the fan base who would enjoy someone who looks like them.  So, there’s that unspoken notion that any team that is able to – here comes the pun – raise the Flagg in the next NBA draft will be getting more than just a good basketball player.