If you asked any college basketball fan what the big story of the sport during last year was, chances are it would have something to do with Cooper Flagg. The Duke one-and-done, now a member of the Dallas Mavericks— something that is still unbelievable, even to Maverick fans— lived up to and exceeded the hype he had coming into Durham, which is really saying something.
The Aggie faithful, however, saw too much of the same old story in College Station: an early exit from the NCAA tournament after some exciting games took place during the regular season (namely, the win over number one Auburn). That probably has a lot to do with Buzz Williams' exit at the end of the season, in all honesty.
A key guy for the team last year— and one of the reasons that A&M fans thought the year could be different— was SMU transfer Zhuric Phelps. His fearless game, timely scoring, and rugged defense made him a quick fan favorites, even if he did have a penchant for jacking up threes.
Now, Phelps is looking to make his way to an NBA court— and it looks like he'll be doing so alongside Cooper Flagg.
Zhuric Phelps signs NBA Summer League deal with Dallas Mavericks, could team up with Cooper Flagg
Phelps has inked a Summer League deal with Dallas, and will be playing alongside Flagg for at least this set of games.
Zhuric Phelps has signed a summer league deal with the Dallas Mavericks, per @westtexasbball
Phelps will play for the Mavs at the NBA 2K26 Summer League in Las Vegas from July 10th to 20th, hoping to earn a spot on their G League roster 👍
Congratulations @zhuricclevelan ‼️ pic.twitter.com/FmvoyaC15r
— Luke Evangelist (@lukeevangelist_) June 29, 2025
This is a big move for Phelps, who could have a long road to the NBA because of his size. If there is a landing spot for him, though, Dallas may be the right one.
The proliferation of front court players in the Mavs organization right now is a constant talking point in the Mavericks sphere. They need an infusion of talent in the back court, and we've seen some guards make their way up from the G League in Dallas before. Phelps could be the next guy to do that.
Dallas has a bright future once again with Cooper Flagg on their roster. They need to fill things out around him, however, and hopefully Phelps figures in there.