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NBA Reacts to Cooper Flagg’s First Basket in a Mavericks Uniform

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Cole Sullivan | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 9:58 PM ET

The anticipation in Las Vegas was palpable on Thursday night as Dallas Mavericks No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg made his highly anticipated Summer League debut against Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

In front of a sold-out crowd, Flagg missed his first two shots from the field, but after settling in and briefly heading to the bench, he returned with renewed energy and quickly made his presence felt.

Flagg’s first official basket in a Mavericks uniform came in electrifying fashion—getting out in transition and throwing down an explosive dunk that shook the rim. Courtside teammates Kyrie Irving and PJ Washington rose to their feet in reaction.

The NBA’s official account summed it up perfectly: “COOPER FLAGG’S FIRST BUCKET IN A MAVS UNIFORM IS A BIG-TIME SLAM.”

Check it out:

COOPER FLAGG'S FIRST BUCKET IN A MAVS UNIFORM IS A BIG-TIME SLAM ‼️#NBA2KSummerLeague on ESPN pic.twitter.com/h7Ta564bS8
— NBA (@NBA) July 11, 2025

Fans reacted to the dunk and Flagg's fast start on Thursday night:

"Great way to start off his NBA career," a fan said.

Another person wrote, "Welcome to the league, Cooper Flagg! That dunk had statement written all over it."

Someone else added, "BOX OFFICE IS HERE."

"Welcome to the league, Mr. Flagg," one more fan commented.

Cooper Flagg hails from the small New England town of Newport, Maine—a state not typically known for producing NBA talent. In fact, Flagg is just the second player ever drafted into the NBA from Maine. Despite the rarity, he has continued to exceed the immense expectations placed on him.

Throughout his freshman season at Duke, Flagg was widely considered the consensus No. 1 overall pick, and there was little doubt he’d be taken first. What came as a surprise, however, was the Dallas Mavericks landing the top pick in the draft lottery, holding just a 1.8% chance of doing so.

Now, Flagg joins a veteran Mavericks core featuring Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and Klay Thompson—setting the stage for a fascinating blend of youth and experience in Dallas.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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