ESPN Misidentifies Multiple NBA Draft Prospects in Live Coverage

During ESPN's pre-draft coverage of the 2025 NBA Draft, the network mistakenly identified Rutgers forward Ace Bailey and his teammate Dylan Harper as Duke star Cooper Flagg multiple times, leading to an awkward on-air moment. Anchor Elle Duncan realized and corrected the error live, but not before viewers saw the incorrect graphics and footage of the wrong players. Flagg, widely regarded as the top prospect and selected first overall by the Dallas Mavericks, was confused with players from Rutgers, raising questions about ESPN's broadcast accuracy and production quality. The incident drew criticism for ESPN's apparent failure to properly distinguish between the athletes, with some commentators highlighting concerns about the network's handling of race and identity in its coverage. Despite the mishap, Flagg remains a highly anticipated rookie, and the top five picks of the draft proceeded with the Mavericks, Spurs, 76ers, Hornets, and Jazz making their selections as expected. This error reflects broader issues in ESPN's recent sports coverage, as the network continues to face scrutiny for its on-air mistakes and perceived decline in quality.