Mavs' Cooper Flagg Ready For Game 2 After 'Nervous' Summer League Debut

Fans tuning in to see No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg dominate in his NBA debut might've finished the game with an underwhelmed feeling, but there is no debate that the rookie still made a massive impact the Dallas Mavericks' Summer League win over the Los Angeles Lakers 87-85 in Las Vegas on Thursday.

Flagg, who scored just 10 points but filled up the box score with six rebounds, four assists, and three steals, was able to face the pressure of tough on-ball defense as a primary ball-handler with impressive poise and confidence, even when his shots weren't falling.

But that, of course, didn't come without some jitters.

The 18-year-old phenom faced a double team from the Lakers in Dallas' first possession after putting the ball in Flagg's hands. Even though the Duke product has felt similar raucous environments before, he couldn't help but admit that he had some butterflies in his belly.

"It was fun," Flagg said about the atmosphere in his debut. "You know, high energy, a lot of fans. So, everybody showed up and it was really intense energy. That's what you look forward to, that's why we play. Look forward to those type of moments, those type of games. You know, it's a very similar experience being in those college environments and just trying to have fun.

"I was obviously a little nervous," Flagg added. "It's a new environment, you know, a lot of knew fans and whatnot. So, I was a little nervous and a little excited, but just happy to be here and it's a dream come true. So I'm just trying to enjoy the moment."

With a rough 5-21 shooting night that saw him throw up a goose egg from behind the three-point arc now behind him, Flagg has shaken out the nervous energy and is ready to impact winning again for the Mavs - something his nervousness seemed to have no impact on in his first game.

Other than his fast-break dunk to get in the box sheet and an array of composed ball-handling sequences, a memorable moment came in the waning moments of the fourth quarter that was a perfect demonstration of how Flagg's two-way versatility can be valuable to a contending team.

He slid from the weak side on a drive and swatted away a floater for his only block of the game. Flagg then corralled the rebound, pushed in transition, and drew a crowd before kicking it out to an open Ryan Nembhard who connected on a three to put the Mavs ahead for good.

Nembhard, a Mavs two-way undrafted signee who led the game in scoring with 21 points, spoke about what impressed him most from Flagg in his highly-anticipated debut. His comments perfectly encapsulate what we saw from their connection in that game-winning sequence.

"He's a super unselfish guy. All he wants to do is win," Nembhard said.

"He can guard five positions. The gravity he has out there, it helps other guys get good looks. So, he's a super talent and it's been fun to play with him so far."

Flagg, Nembhard and the rest of the Mavs' Summer League team will look to keep things rolling on July 12 against the San Antonio Spurs, where we are expecting to see the debut of No. 2 overall pick in Spurs guard Dylan Harper.

The game will take place inside the Thomas & Mack Center at 3 p.m. CT and air live on ESPN.