No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg said on Tuesday that he is excited to get to work with the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Flagg was the AP national college player of the year at Duke, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks on 38.5% shooting from 3-point range. He became the 22nd player in program history to be named a consensus first-team All-American.
The 6-foot-8 standout is expected to debut on Thursday in a highly anticipated matchup against Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers (8 p.m. EDT, ESPN). After that contest, though, it is uncertain how many games Flagg will ultimately play in during the event.
“We’ll take it day by day,” Mavericks summer league coach Josh Broghamer said after practice on Tuesday. “Once we get out to Vegas, (we’ll) kind of figure out the schedule and see how he does starting with the Lakers and then kind of go from there.”
Flagg officially became the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft on June 25 after establishing himself as the face of college basketball last season. He arrives with plenty of hype as the top pick and a potential generational talent following a dazzling freshman year.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said on June 27 that he wants to do everything he can to ensure Flagg can reach his full potential on the court. They want to push Flagg and put the ball in his hands often, something that he is excited to experiment with in the desert.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Flagg said. “I think (Duke) coach (Jon) Scheyer trusted me a lot last year, and I handled it a lot. I didn’t bring it up a ton, but in the half-court, I handled it a lot and set up a lot of different actions. I think it is something that I can do at a high level, so I’m excited to experiment and do some different things.”
The Maine native is viewed as a generational prospect because of his size, athleticism and ability to affect games on both ends of the court. He is also highly regarded for his ability to process plays in real-time and his decision-making with the ball in his hands.
Flagg will be a focal point for the Mavericks on both ends of the court. The organization will be watching to see how he adjusts to the increased competition level in front of a national audience, and the 18-year-old appears to be embracing the moment.
“I’m excited,” Flagg said. “I’ve been in the gym with the guys. (I’ve) got to know a bunch of them, so I’m just excited to get out there, get back on the court and play some 5 on 5.”
