Jason Whitlock claims DEI discourse played a role in backlash against ref who called "phantom" foul on Cooper Flagg

In the aftermath of Duke’s nail-biting 70–67 Final Four loss to Houston, the controversial foul call on freshman phenom Cooper Flagg has continued to dominate conversations. The call, which was labeled a “phantom foul,” occurred during the final minutes of the game and sparked criticism.

Former ESPN columnist Jason Whitlock expressed his thoughts on the incident on episode 906 of "Fearless with Jason Whitlock." In an X post on Tuesday, Whitlock suggested that the backlash went beyond basketball and claimed that the ongoing discourse on DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) played a role in it.

The incident involving Flagg showed the freshman reaching out with his left arm to secure possession of the ball with Houston’s J’Wan Roberts on the inside. The play then prompted the official to call a foul.

“The biggest takeaway from the Duke/Houston game was the phantom call on Cooper Flagg,” Whitlock said. “20 years ago, we just call the ref incompetent. Now, because of the way social media works, we spot that the ref’s black and spin the whole conversation with a racial aspect.”

Whitlock’s comments appeared to touch on a broader debate about how race and social issues have influenced sports conversations. After the game, footage of the foul call went viral on social media, with many fans expressing outrage over what they believed was a wrong call at a critical moment of the game.

Whitlock went on to reference other incidents that were also called in favor of Houston during the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

Dan Hurley admits jealousy over Cooper Flagg’s decision to choose Duke over UConn

UConn Huskies coach Dan Hurley made an appearance on Barstool Sports' "Pardon My Take" podcast on Monday. Hurley admitted to feeling jealous over Cooper Flagg, the nation’s top high school recruit in 2024, who selected Duke over UConn.

Flagg made an immediate impact with the Blue Devils in his freshman season as he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists. Hurley confessed feeling amazed while watching Flagg’s impressive performance this season, especially his standout 42-point performance against Notre Dame.

"When he played that crazy game against Notre Dame,” Hurley said, “I thought, 'Oh my God! If we had him on our team with some of these guys, what would've happened?' We probably wouldn't have blown a seven-point lead with 30 seconds left against Seton Hall twice, but yeah, I was jealous.”

The Huskies were reportedly one of his final two choices, alongside Duke, during the recruiting process. Given UConn's back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024, Hurley admitted that imagining Cooper Flagg on the court with current and former Huskies was tempting.

“It’s fun to dream,” Hurley said. But he quickly grounded the conversation, reminding fans that the focus remains on the bigger picture. “We still have a shot at the dynasty. If we win three out of four years, we’re still a dynasty!”

Despite the missed opportunity, Hurley didn’t dwell on the past. His sights are firmly set on the future and on reloading for another title run.