In a much-hyped matchup against Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers, No. 1 overall selection Cooper Flagg overcame scoring issues in his summer league debut Thursday, July 10 to help push the Mavericks to an 87-85 victory. It was uneven and inefficient — Flagg scored just 10 points on 5-of-21 shooting (23.8%), adding six rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block. He looked very much like someone who played his first competitive game of basketball since April 6. He also looked very much like someone who was dropped into a group of new teammates with whom he had little chemistry. “That,” Flagg said after the victory, “might be one of the worst games of my life.”
Source: USA Today
Source: USA Today
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Dave McMenamin @mcten
Bronny James on guarding Cooper Flagg in the post: “Just trying to hold my ground. He’s got like half a foot on me.” Went on to say that Flagg is “an amazing player” and “he’s going to be something special” pic.x.com/3FLb0eR0Ce – 11:23 PM
Bronny James on guarding Cooper Flagg in the post: “Just trying to hold my ground. He’s got like half a foot on me.” Went on to say that Flagg is “an amazing player” and “he’s going to be something special” pic.x.com/3FLb0eR0Ce – 11:23 PM
Brad Townsend @townbrad
Cooper Flagg, on ESPN, couldn’t have said it any better:
“Not up to my standards. But I’m gonna be all right.” – 10:09 PM
Cooper Flagg, on ESPN, couldn’t have said it any better:
“Not up to my standards. But I’m gonna be all right.” – 10:09 PM
Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Cooper Flagg has been ok offensively but he just had a great block that led to a Ryan Nembhard 3 and an 87-85 lead with 59 seconds left. – 9:59 PM
Cooper Flagg has been ok offensively but he just had a great block that led to a Ryan Nembhard 3 and an 87-85 lead with 59 seconds left. – 9:59 PM
Brad Townsend @townbrad
“Quick, powerful big,” Bonny James tells ESPN of Cooper Flagg. I’d say that covers a lot of ground. – 8:40 PM
“Quick, powerful big,” Bonny James tells ESPN of Cooper Flagg. I’d say that covers a lot of ground. – 8:40 PM
Vincent Goodwill @VinceGoodwill
It’s hard to notice or tell until you see him against reasonable peers, but Cooper Flagg, bigger than you think, taller than you realize – 8:38 PM
It’s hard to notice or tell until you see him against reasonable peers, but Cooper Flagg, bigger than you think, taller than you realize – 8:38 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
It’s Bronny James, Dalton Knecht, DJ Stewart, Cole Swider and Darius Bazley for the Lakers to start the Las Vegas portion of summer league.
Bronny hit a 2, and then a 3 to get LA off to a 5-0 lead against Cooper Flagg and Dallas. – 8:17 PM
It’s Bronny James, Dalton Knecht, DJ Stewart, Cole Swider and Darius Bazley for the Lakers to start the Las Vegas portion of summer league.
Bronny hit a 2, and then a 3 to get LA off to a 5-0 lead against Cooper Flagg and Dallas. – 8:17 PM
NBA on ESPN @ESPNNBA
“For me, this is like a trial for Cooper Flagg to see what he maximizes and what his strengths are.”
@ThisIsUD on what he’s going to look for in Cooper Flagg’s NBA Summer League debut for the Mavs 🔥 pic.x.com/QLGiWhg5J1 – 5:50 PM
“For me, this is like a trial for Cooper Flagg to see what he maximizes and what his strengths are.”
@ThisIsUD on what he’s going to look for in Cooper Flagg’s NBA Summer League debut for the Mavs 🔥 pic.x.com/QLGiWhg5J1 – 5:50 PM
More on this storyline
He’s the youngest player in this draft, and the professionalism that he’s shown — it’s been pretty awesome to see. Just your overall impressions post-draft coming out of your camp — it seems like everyone is just over the moon about him.” JASON KIDD: “You got to give his family — his mom and dad, and his brothers — credit. They’ve done an incredible job with this young man off the floor. When you talk to him, you forget that he’s 18. He loves basketball. The one thing I thought he said in his press conference is that he played outside. You don’t hear a lot of kids talk about playing outside. And then also growing up in Maine — it could be a little nippy, could be a little cold — but it just shows his toughness. Again, as a coach — but I think the Dallas organization — we’re very excited to have this opportunity.” -via YouTube / July 11, 2025
