The anticipation for Cooper Flagg’s NBA Summer League debut was sky-high Thursday night—especially with Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers as the opponent.
With a packed crowd in Las Vegas, both rising stars got off to hot starts in the first quarter. James knocked down his first two shots, while Flagg added several impressive buckets of his own, bringing the crowd to its feet.
But it was a moment in the second half that really captured fans’ attention. As James walked the ball up the floor and Flagg backpedaled in front of him on defense, cameras caught Flagg pulling his jersey over his mouth and saying something to Bronny. The exchange drew a smile from James, as the two had already matched up against each other several times throughout the game.
The clip quickly made the rounds on social media.
“Coop and Bronny having a laugh,” one sportscaster posted. “What do you think they’re talking about?”
Fans reacted and speculated what the two potential rising stars were saying to one another.
"Probably laughing about how this game was marketed as Cooper Flagg vs Bronny James," a fan said.
Another fan wrote, "'Hey when your dad retires, come to Dallas. It’s not that bad.'"
Someone else added, "Definitely plotting their next highlight moment or roasting someone’s jumper. Either way, that chemistry’s already clicking!"
"Gotta love friendly hoops," one more fan commented.
Neither Cooper Flagg nor Bronny James had the most efficient outings in their highly anticipated Summer League showdown, but both showed flashes of promise in a tightly contested game that saw the Mavericks edge the Lakers 87-85. James had a chance to win it at the buzzer but missed a potential game-winning three-pointer in the final seconds.
Flagg finished with 10 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals, and one block, shooting 5-for-21 from the field in 32 minutes of action. James, meanwhile, recorded eight points, two rebounds, and two assists while going 2-for-8 from the field.