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'Just Trusted All the Work': Cooper Flagg Drops 31, Shows Growth as Dallas Mavericks Fall to San Antonio Spurs in Summer League

Originally posted on Dallas Hoops Journal
By Grant Afseth | Last updated Jul 13, 2025 9:26 AM ET

Cooper Flagg is still new to the NBA game, but in his second Summer League outing, the No. 1 overall pick looked anything but out of place. Despite the Dallas Mavericks falling 76–69 to the San Antonio Spurs at the Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday, Flagg showed flashes of dominance, poise, and polish in a performance that felt like a significant step forward.

After struggling with efficiency in his debut, Flagg bounced back with a 31-point outing, attacking early, adjusting to intense ball pressure, and generating a steady rhythm on both ends of the floor. He shot 10-of-21 from the field, 3-of-9 from beyond the arc, and 8-of-12 from the line while adding four rebounds and just one turnover in 33 minutes.

“I definitely felt a little more comfortable,” Flagg said. “They were still picking up 94 [feet]. They did a really good job of pressuring us and getting us out of our actions. So that was tough — we had to try to figure out our spacing. But I was trusting all the work.”

Flagg repeatedly broke down defenders off the dribble, finishing five plays at the rim and converting three-point looks off movement. He also ran the offense for extended stretches — a challenge the Mavericks have leaned into early this summer.

Cooper Flagg is Taking on the Pressure

One of the most impressive developments for Flagg has been his ability to handle the ball in traffic and under pressure. In 62 minutes of Summer League play, he’s committed just three turnovers — despite constant full-court attention from defenders.

“I’m exhausted,” Flagg admitted. “I’m not used to bringing the ball up like that — bringing it up full court and having somebody on my hip for 94 feet. I’m definitely not used to that, but I thought I did a solid job of bringing it up against pressure.”

Summer League head coach Josh Broghamer echoed that sentiment, calling Flagg’s composure rare for a player this early in his development.

“Incredible,” Broghamer said. “For a kid who you say, ‘We’re going to give you the basketball and they’re going to pick you up full court,’ and everyone has 10 fouls — so there’s no penalty for grabbing and holding — it’s even more exhausting and tougher on him than a regular game.

He also made strides at the free-throw line, drawing fouls consistently and finding scoring rhythm through aggressive drives. He shot 8-of-13 from the line, which showed how overwhelming he can be for a defense to keep off the line, but he is motivated to convert better than the 61.5% he shot.

“I got to the line a little better today,” Flagg said. “Still missed a bunch of free throws — my mom probably wasn’t very happy with that — but just trying to be aggressive, get to the free throw line, get to the rim. I didn’t change anything. I know what I can do, so I just trusted the work.”

“I think he’s handled it extremely well. And today you saw, obviously, he can go by people. Finishing at the rim or drawing fouls — that’s something he improved on a bunch today. So that was really good.”

Broghamer also noted that the staff looked for ways to ease the burden on Flagg by occasionally shifting him off the ball.

“We’ve used him more and more as a roller just to get him some easier catches instead of working so hard to bring the ball up the floor,” he said. “He got to the free-throw line and made plays. It was a really good night.”

Teammates Take Notice

Miles Kelly, who finished with 11 points, two rebounds, and two steals, said Flagg’s presence as a lead initiator under pressure is turning heads on the roster.

“I think he’s been super composed,” Kelly said. “That’s the biggest thing for a point guard, especially in Summer League. Everybody wants to pick you up full court and be physical. He didn’t have the best game last game, but he came back with the right mentality. He kept fighting and gave us a chance to hopefully come back and win the game.”

Kelly added that Flagg’s approach has set the tone for the group, and it’s been clear the 18-year-old is embracing the challenges rather than shying away from them.

“You’ve got to wait for it to come to you and just play your game,” Kelly said. “A lot of people in Summer League are trying to prove something. But you’ve got to pick your spots and know your game. That’s the biggest thing.”

Summer Spurs Establish Control Early

San Antonio built a 21–11 lead after the first quarter and never trailed the rest of the way. Dallas responded with a strong second quarter to cut the deficit to one at the half, but the Spurs outscored the Mavericks 26–17 in the third quarter to take command.

David Jones-Garcia led San Antonio with 21 points, five rebounds and five assists off the bench. No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper added 16 points, six rebounds and two steals in his Summer League debut. Carter Bryant, selected No. 14 in the draft, provided physical on-ball defense and made Flagg work for his points.

“Carter’s an incredible player and a really good person too,” Flagg said. “He didn’t look tired at all — he was picking me up full court the whole game. I was feeling gassed, but he was just there, being physical and using his length.”

Dallas shot just 36.4% from the field and 22.2% from 3-point range. The Spurs shot 42% overall and 93% at the line.

“We were a little too stagnant,” Broghamer said. “Trying to make too many passes instead of shooting or driving. It got us out of our comfort zone and caused some problems. But we pushed back in the third and did a better job late.”

Looking Ahead

The Mavericks dropped to 1–1 in Summer League and will next face the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. For now, the takeaway remains Flagg’s rapid growth and willingness to shoulder responsibility as a scorer and facilitator.

“I’m just trying to get better,” Flagg said. “Whether shots go in or not, I know what I can do. I’m going to keep trusting the work.”