The NBA gave Cooper Flagg a nationally televised showcase for his first game with the Dallas Mavericks.
Flagg, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, made his first appearance for the team in an NBA Summer League game in Las Vegas on Thursday night against Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers with ESPN’s cameras focused on their every move.
Flagg is expected to provide immediate help for the Mavericks on both ends of the floor, and his first game in Las Vegas offered the first glimpse of how quickly he can adapt to the NBA.
James is about the only player participating in the NBA’s Summer League who can perhaps challenge or surpass Flagg in terms of curiosity and intrigue. The son of LeBron James appeared in 27 games for the Lakers as a rookie and already played in one summer league game for the Lakers during the California Classic.
Check out the top moments from Flagg’s Summer League debut:
Final: Mavericks 87, Lakers 85
Check out the top highlights from the NBA Summer League game between the Lakers and Mavericks:
Cooper Flagg, Bronny James final stats
It was a slog in the second half for both Cooper Flagg and Bronny James — at least in terms of scoring.
Neither player scored a single point after halftime and both struggled to find consistency with their shots.
In his first competitive game since April 6, Flagg struggled to find efficiency. He missed each of his six attempts after intermission and finished the game with 10 points. He shot 5-of-21 overall and added six rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Still, Flagg was able to make several winning plays down the stretch. He swatted a massive block on Lakers guard DJ Steward before he eventually got the ball back in transition. And, with the defensive attention he drew, Flagg cut into the paint before spinning and finding Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard — brother of Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard — for a go-ahead 3, the one that eventually would win the game.
“Not up to my standard,” Flagg said during a post-game interview with the ESPN broadcast. “But I’m going to regroup, I’m going to be all right. It’s a new feeling, new environment, new teammates.”
James missed a would-be go-ahead 3-pointer with 0.2 seconds to play and finished with eight points on 2-of-8 shooting. He added two rebounds and two assists.
The Mavericks won 87-85.
Cooper Flagg, Bronny James stats through third quarter
Neither player scored in the third period, as Cooper Flagg missed all three of his attempts and Bronny James missed both of his tries.
Flagg is entering the fourth quarter with 10 points on 5-of-18 shooting (27.8%), with five rebounds, two assists and three steals.
James has eight points on 2-of-6 shooting, with two boards and one assist.
The Mavericks are up 68-62.
Scoring slows in third for both Flagg and James
It has been a quiet third quarter for both Cooper Flagg and Bronny James, who have combined to miss all four of their shot attempts in the period. Neither has scored a single point in the third.
Flagg, who has played 21:40, caught a quick rest midway through the quarter.
Cooper Flagg, Bronny James stats at halftime
In what has been an entertaining game, Cooper Flagg and Bronny James have both been active.
Flagg played 16:22 (of 20 possible minutes) and shot 5-of-15 from the field (33%) for 10 points. Flagg missed all four of his 3s. He added three rebounds, one assist and two steals.
James has been on the floor less, playing 10:03, and has been selective with his shot, hitting his first two attempts. He finished the half with eight points on 2-of-4 shooting, going 3-for-4 on free throws. James has also recorded one rebound and one assist.
The Lakers are up, 47-43.
Bronny James guards Cooper Flagg
The Lakers and Mavericks coaching staffs are delivering. Giving fans what they want, the Lakers have put Bronny James on Cooper Flagg in the second quarter.
James, known best for his defense, is a shorter guard and cedes seven inches to Flagg. Still, James was aggressive in using his hands to disrupt Flagg. During one sequence, Flagg tried to back down James, who poked the ball out, though he was called for a foul.
On the inbounds, Flagg received the pass and used his height to quickly put up a jumper over James, flushing it from the left wing.
End Q1: Mavericks 19, Lakers 17
If the first quarter of Cooper Flagg’s summer league debut could be characterized in one phrase, it would be high volume.
Flagg handled the ball and dished passes, put up nine shots — three of which were 3s — sprinted out in transition, and scored six points on 3-of-9 shooting (33%). Flagg appeared to get more settled as the game wore on. He played 9:08 in the first quarter, of 10 possible minutes.
Flagg added one rebound and one steal in the period.
Bronny James played only 4:41 in the period, but hit both his shots for five points.
“Trying to be myself, be as aggressive as I can and make plays for my team,” James said during an in-game interview with the ESPN broadcast.
James also described Flagg as “a quick, powerful big” in the interview.
The Mavericks are putting Cooper Flagg to work
Dallas is putting the ball in his hands, using his size and handle to create. Immediately, after Dallas won the tip, the Lakers threw a quick double-team at Flagg, who handled it well and got the ball out of his hands quickly.
The Mavericks ran the first play for Flagg, and he missed a 14-foot jumper from the left elbow. He also missed his second attempt, a 3 pointer from just left-center of the top of the key.
On the other side, Bronny James laced his first two tries, a mid-range jumper and a catch-and-shoot 3. James has looked poised and confident with the ball in his hands, and also dished an early assist.
After he got a short breather on the bench, Flagg would get his first basket in emphatic fashion, scooping a steal and throwing down a dunk in transition. It apparently settled him down; on the following possession, Flagg worked his way to the right side of the floor, and hit a step-back jumper over Dalton Knecht.
Then, later in the quarter, Flagg leaked out in transition and put home an easy layup, with a foul, giving him the chance for an and-1 after a media timeout.
What time is Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers?
The NBA Summer League game between the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. in Las Vegas).
How to watch Mavericks vs. Lakers: TV, live stream for Cooper Flagg NBA Summer League debut
Time: 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT)
Location: Thomas & Mack Center (Las Vegas)
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+, Fubo
Watch Mavericks vs. Lakers with Fubo
Mavericks star Kyrie Irving in Vegas to catch Flagg debut
Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, who’s nursing a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered late in the regular season, is in the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas to watch Cooper Flagg’s summer league debut.
Irving is expected to miss the entire 2025-26 season with the injury.
With tipoff looming …
Fans are starting to trickle in for what’s anticipated to be a full house to see Cooper Flagg’s debut against Bronny James and the Lakers.
Cooper Flagg throws down highlight dunk during warmups
As if his summer league debut wasn’t already getting enough hype, the Mavericks social media team fanned the flames by posting a short clip of Flagg casually flushing a windmill dunk during pre-game warmups.
The caption for the video?
‘He’s ready.’
Ticket prices surge for Cooper Flagg’s debut versus Bronny James, Lakers
According to ticket marketplace Vivid Seats, the average price for Thursday night’s Dallas Mavericks-Los Angeles Lakers summer league game in Las Vegas was $223 (as of afternoon of July 9). It’s a hefty price for an exhibition, and the most expensive summer league ticket in two years.
It trails the average cost ($297) of the summer league debut of Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama, which took place Friday, July 7, 2023.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the cheapest get-in ticket, including fees, is listed at $66.89 for general admission. The most expensive ticket is $3,072.30 for a courtside deck seat below one of the baskets.
Since then, prices have come down some, with the most expensive seat available, with an hour-and-a-half left for tipoff, at $1,063.94.