NBA
Dallas’ Cooper Flagg called his summer league debut ‘one of the worst games of my life’
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated23 mins ago on July 11, 2025
On Thursday, Cooper Flagg made his summer league debut for the Mavericks. Flagg was the consensus #1 pick, and Dallas was lucky enough to draft him.
During his lone collegiate season at Duke, Flagg averaged 19.2 points per game. Against the Lakers on Thursday, Flagg was inefficient from the field and finished the game with 10 points. The Mavericks did win 87-85, but Flagg called it “one of the worst games of my life.” This is just summer league action, and it’s time that Flagg needs to adjust to the NBA. Chances are he’ll feel more comfortable in Dallas’ next game on Saturday.
Cooper Flagg admitted he did not play well in his summer league debut
Cooper Flagg called his summer league debut “one of the worst games of my life,” but he’s glad the #Mavs escaped with the win. pic.twitter.com/gZ7A7jIr06
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) July 11, 2025
The 2024-25 National Player of the Year, Cooper Flagg, made his summer league debut on Thursday for the Mavericks. Flagg was 5-21 from the field for 10 points. He was 0-5 from beyond the arc and 0-1 from the free-throw line. Additionally, Flagg finished with six rebounds, four assists, three steals, and one block. Despite having what he called “one of the worst games of my life”, Flagg still made the game-winning play for Dallas.
With 1:10 remaining in the fourth quarter, Flagg swatted away Lakers DJ Steward’s driving layup attempt. Dallas picked up possession, and Flagg pushed the ball in transition. He drove to the basket and drew multiple defenders. Flagg then found Ryan Nembhard for a wide-open three-pointer. Nembhard cashed in on the easy make and gave Dallas an 87-85 lead. That ended up being the final score, and Flagg had his fingerprints all over the game-sealing sequence for the Mavericks.
Cooper Flagg block. Ryan Nembhard three.pic.twitter.com/L8u8BGMvVZ
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) July 11, 2025
Offensively, Cooper Flagg did not find much of a rhythm in his summer league debut. However, he did make the right decision more often than not. That’s something Dallas head coach Jason Kidd sees in Flagg. He saw him do it at the high school level and in college. In just his first summer league game, Cooper Flagg is already proving just how versatile he can be.
During summer league, Cooper Flagg is Dallas’ #1 option. He was double-teamed more often than not in half-court sets against the Lakers. This disrupted his ability to get to his spots and score with ease. Cooper Flagg admitted he was frustrated after Dallas’ win on Thursday. He knows that was far from his best performance. There will be a learning curve for Cooper Flagg as he adjusts to life in the NBA. His next opportunity to play is Saturday at 4:00 p.m. EST vs. the Spurs.
