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Cooper Flagg showed a glimpse of what he can do for the Dallas Mavericks after making his much-anticipated debut in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas on Thursday.
Flagg helped the Mavericks to a tight win over the Los Angeles Lakers, 72-70, at the Thomas & Mack Center. The Lakers had a chance to steal the game but Bronny James missed his three-point attempt in the dying seconds.
Flagg struggled from the field, tallying 10 points on an atrocious 5-of-21 shooting. He didn't score in the second half. The first overall pick, however, contributed in other facets with six rebounds, four assists, three steals, and a block.
One of his few buckets was a fadeaway jumper over James, with his veteran teammates getting hyped. When asked about this, the Mavericks rookie had a sheepish response.
“I definitely heard them. It was cool seeing them there and showing up in support of us. I didn’t really say anything. They were kind of saying stuff a couple of plays before. That was just a funny moment,” said the former Duke stalwart in a video shared by Dallas Morning News' Mike Curtis.
Because of Flagg and James, the buzz was quite noticeable for a summer affair. The 20-year-old James, who's entering his sophomore year, didn't do much better than Flagg, finishing with eight points, two rebounds, and two assists.
The Mavericks were led by Ryan Nembhard with 21 points and five assists, while Cole Swider once again spearheaded the Lakers with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
One could chalk up Flagg's subpar showing to jitters. But there's no questioning his skill level, as proven by his all-around numbers. Being the go-to guy on the Blue Devils also means he's not too fazed by the spotlight. Don't forget that he's only 18 years old.
“(That was) not up to my standard, but I’m going to regroup. I’m going to be all right,” said Flagg after the game. “This is a new feeling, new environment, new teammates, but the guys settled down.”
Expect the Mavericks newcomer to bounce back in their upcoming assignments.
