3 Key Takeaways From Cooper Flagg’s Summer League Debut

(Photo by David Dow/Getty Images).

Since the Dallas Mavericks obtained the rights for the 1st pick in the 2025 NBA Draft in May, the league has been eagerly anticipating Cooper Flagg’s first touches on the hardwood. The 6-foot-9 all-around wing is one of the most hyped prospects since LeBron James, despite a disappointing premature exit from March Madness with Duke.

Thursday marked the start of the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League. In this 2-week stretch, teams can evaluate their recent draft picks as well as a variety of G-Leaguers and 2-way players after the draft.

The standard of play is not that of the NBA. However, the Summer League provides fans with an early glimpse into the skillsets of younger players and valuable insights into expectations for the upcoming season.

Flagg has been lauded for his defensive presence and finishing skills, notably winning the National Player of the Year last season whilst being the age of a high school senior.

This resulted in him being the consensus number 1 pick on all mock drafts from the start of the year. The forward is now in the NBA, having joined a starved Dallas team that are ready to compete following a tumultuous 2025.

For weeks, basketball fans have been eagerly awaiting his debut against a Los Angeles Lakers side featuring established NBA rotation players, top-tier G-League talent, and other unsigned players in Dalton Knecht, Bronny James, and Darius Bazley.

On a night where Summer League ticket prices broke records, Cooper’s Mavericks came out on top, winning 87-85. Whilst Flagg was the first to admit his performance was not sublime, registering a stat line of 10/6/4, here are 3 key takeaways fans can have from his performance.

Strong Handles and Playmaking Skills

(Photo by David Dow/Getty Images).

Coming out of college, one of the bigger questions on Flagg’s skillset was whether his handle could be trusted, especially considering the situation in Dallas with Kyrie Irving set to be out for large parts of next season.

A capable handler, Flagg will need to step up in the Australian’s absence - and despite the question marks, Flagg’s handle looked incredibly impressive, with him being the primary ball handler and initiating offence for the Mavs.

The forward’s passing game was also on point, finding runners on the fast break and cutting teammates.

Another positive for Dallas was that Flagg ended the game with a singular turnover despite the full-court and physical pressure from the Lakers. Furthermore, he was unfazed by this treatment and showed no signs of frustration, which many would expect from an 18-year-old.

Another reason for excitement for fans was his decision-making with the ball – he might not have always been able to break down a defender, but Flagg made the right plays throughout, finding the open man on multiple occasions and finishing with 4 assists.

However, when further NBA talent is added to the lineup, the open looks created will be finished much more consistently.

Worries about Shooting

(Photo by Garrett Ellwood/Getty Images).

The major concern for many after his debut was Flagg’s offensive capabilities, particularly the jump shot. He ended 0/5 from 3 and struggled from mid-range, though there were some positives.

In the 1st half, Flagg was unfortunate not to make some shots, making shots fly when the opportunity arose, and with tougher defence than college, it is to be expected for Flagg to need an adjusting period for his shot.

However, throughout the game, the forward moved well off the ball, with teammates unable to find him open on a couple of occasions. That being said, with Dallas having recently signed a skilled passer in D’Angelo Russell, there should be plenty of optimism in finding open looks for Flagg.

Nevertheless, Flagg’s poor shooting stats are unmissable, and the former Duke man will have to work on finding a consistent jump-shot.

Elite Defence

(Photo Ethan Miller/Getty Images).

As many would have expected, Flagg had a very strong game defensively, racking up 4 total stops (3 steals and 1 block).

Beyond the stats sheet, he impressed with his good defensive footwork, getting strong contests and disrupting multiple shots over him, though multiple times players were able to make the shot over him.

His defensive playmaking was equally impressive, with a highlight block in the clutch leading to a transition 3 for the Mavs.

Many scouts praised Flagg and his high defensive motor and competitiveness, and this was seen in abundance in his first-half matchup with Bronny James.

Flagg played 32 minutes and was a figure defensively throughout - his defence also led to several easy baskets for Dallas from him stripping the ball and spearheading the fastbreak.

(Photo by Brian Choi/Getty Images).

Overall, fans should be very excited for the future of the Maine Event, and although his debut had some flaws, he was very impressive and showed flashes of the superstar calibre player he’s aspiring to become.

Article by Charlie Blyth.