ESPN made a huge error with an almighty case of mistaken identity during the NBA Draft.
The network gave top billing to the event in Brooklyn, New York on Wednesday.
ESPN misidentified Ace Bailey as Cooper Flagg on SportsCenter[/caption]
Cooper Flagg was the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks[/caption]
And that included regular updates on SportsCenter leading up to all the action.
SportsCenter cut to some red carpet arrivals just before the event began.
As it returned from commercial break, a graphic with Cooper Flagg’s name was on the screen.
The camera shot then panned up from the floor towards the face of an NBA Draft prospect.
An ESPN host was heard saying, “Welcome back to SportsCenter, you’re looking at Cooper Flagg and in just over an hour from now.”
The camera then panned up to the face of Rutgers star Ace Bailey.
But the graphic of Flagg’s name was still on the screen as Bailey looked into the camera.
“That is not Cooper Flagg at all, actually,” the SportsCenter anchor said.
“That is quite famously Ace Bailey.”
The camera then cut to another prospect on the red carpet.
“There’s Cooper Flagg,” the host shouted as the camera once again began pointed at the floor.
But as it panned up towards the prospect’s face, she realized another error.
“No that’s not him either,” the anchor said as Dylan Harper was shown on screen.
“That’s not Cooper Flagg either.”
Flagg was the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night.
The 18-year-old became a household name with his exploits at Duke University.
And fans were left in disbelief at the ESPN error.
“Def not Cooper Flagg,” one said.
“How is she so certain,” another wondered.
While a third said, “Cooper looks different without the Duke uniform on.”
