Tar Heels and Rivals Have Varying Summer League Results

Former Duke star Cooper Flagg and his Dallas Mavericks took on former Tar Heels star RJ Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers Thursday night and Flagg won the individual battle, while the Mavericks won the game.

Duke fans reveled in Flagg's initial victory over a Tar Heels player in the NBA, even though it was their first NBA2K26 Summer League game of the season.

Davis was 1-of-4 shooting from the field and missed a layup which went over the backboard. He scored three points for the Lakers in the loss. The contest marked the fourth time Flagg defeated Davis as he was 3-0 against Davis in Chapel Hill.

Flagg also got the better of former Duke star DJ Steward who also plays for the Lakers. Steward played in the NBA G League last season, which is hopefully where Davis will go after his stint with the Lakers this summer.

After the game Bronny James complimented Flagg was the top pick in this recent NBA Draft.

“He’s just a quick, powerful big,” James told ESPN. “We’ve got to do everything we can to stop him and slow him down. But he’s a great player and he’s going to get his sometimes. Just got to do a great job of [slowing] him down.”

Flagg was not happy with his performance, but he was glad the Mavericks got the win nonetheless.

"That might be one of the worst games of my life, but we got the win, so that’s what really matters to me," Flagg told reporters after the game. "I couldn't really get into a rhythm, it's a different environment, obviously very different from college, it's probably very different from what the real NBA is gonna be like."

Davis had an impressive five-year career with the Tar Heels, but could not maintain any modicum of success against the Mavericks. He just could not find his shooting touch which made him a fan favorite in Chapel Hill.

The former Tar Heels star will have to rebound in Las Vegas and turn his summer league debut around if he wants to secure a spot with the Lakers G League team and earn a two-way contract. He is currently participating on an Exhibit 10 contract which runs out at the end of the summer league season.

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