How Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg played in Summer League debut

Flagg wasn’t shy early in the game. He was rather aggressive, in fact, shooting 3-9 from the field in the game’s firs quarter. A monster dunk halfway through the quarter electrified the arena.

In the second quarter, Cooper Flagg found himself guarded by Bronny James at times. Flagg, using his size, attempted to back James down. Flagg tried to bully him in a sense, but Bronny did not back down. It was an entertaining matchup, with the crowd at UNLV getting louder and louder each time the two matched up against one another.

Flagg, the 2025 No. 1 overall pick, reminded everyone that he is a two-way player as well early in the contest. He played respectable overall defense and recorded two steals in the first half.

On the offensive end of the floor, though, Flagg was unable to find a rhythm with his three-point shot. He finished the first half with 10 points, three rebounds, one assist and two steals. He shot 5-15 from the field and failed to convert on any of his four three-point attempts.

Although Cooper Flagg continued to play hard in the second, his three-point shot continued to fail him. He still made a significant impact, but Flagg simply did not have his long-range shot on Thursday night in Las Vegas. Flagg’s scoring stat-line after the third quarter read: 10 points on 5-18 shooting from the field and 0-5 shooting from beyond the arc.

The Mavs held a slim lead heading into the fourth quarter. Would Flagg be able to lead Dallas to a victory in his Summer League debut?

Dallas endured an up and down fourth quarter for the most part. Flagg never did find his shot in the game, but as mentioned, he impacted the Mavs in a positive manner nonetheless. The Mavs earned an 87-85 win the end.

Overall, it was an encouraging debut for Cooper Flagg. His future is certainly bright. He will only improve as he grows more comfortable in his current situation with Dallas. Flagg and the Mavs will run it back on Saturday in an afternoon affair with the San Antonio Spurs.