July 11 (UPI) -- Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg described his NBA Summer League debut as "one of the worst games of my life," but drew praise from coaches and opposing guard Bronny James after a win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
"The coaches have a lot of confidence in me," Flagg told reporters Thursday in Las Vegas. "They tell me they want me to experiment, try some new things. I was trying to be aggressive. That's new for me, too.
"I would say that might be one of the worst games of my life. We got the win, so that's what really matters to me."
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft missed 16 of his 21 shot attempts, was 0 for 5 from 3-point range and 0 for 1 from the free throw line in the 87-85 victory. He was 0 for 6 and failed to score in the second half.
Flagg totaled 10 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals, a block and a turnover in 31:43 of action. He averaged 19.2 points per game and made 48.1% of his shots during his 2024-25 lone season with the Duke Blue Devils.
"Shots weren't falling, but that's going to happen," Flagg said. "It's going to be nights like that. It is somewhat new to me. I haven't probably taken that many shots before, so that's somewhat new. I'm going to try and figure it out. But new experience, so I'm excited to keep playing and move forward."
The Mavericks made 43% of their shots, compared to the Lakers' 36.7%. They also held advantages of 28-18 in points in the paint, 23-5 in fast break points and 26-18 in bench points.
Flagg missed his first two shot attempts. He stole the ball with about 4:15 remaining in the first half and completing a running dunk for his first points with the Mavericks.
"I was excited," Flagg said. "I was honestly a little nervous. It's a new environment. A lot of new fans and whatnot. ... But I'm just happy to be here. It's a dream come true. I'm just trying to enjoy the moment."
Despite his his rookie jitters and shooting woes, Flagg made two of the most impactful plays of the night.
He first blocked a shot by Lakers guard D.J. Stewart, sparking a fast break. Mavericks guard Jordan Hall collected the loose ball and passed to Flagg, who dribbled over half court. Flagg penetrated toward the paint and tossed the ball back to guard Ryan Nembhard, who drained a 27-foot, 3-pointer with 63 seconds remaining for the Mavericks' final lead.
Nembhard led the Mavericks with 21 points. Mavericks guard Miles Kelly chipped in 17 in the victory. Lakers forward Cole Swider scored a game-high 22 points and made 10 rebounds. Stewart totaled 14 points, seen rebounds and five assists for the Lakers.
Fellow Lakers guard Bronny James totaled eight points, but missed a game-winning shot attempt in the final seconds. James, who is listed at 6-foot-2, guarded the 6-foot-9 Flagg on several possessions and praised the Mavericks' rookie during his postgame media session.
"He's great. I mean, I watched him all in college and he's an amazing player," James said of Flagg. "I have the utmost respect for him. He's going to be something special."
The Mavericks will continue Summer League play against the San Antonio Spurs at 6 p.m. EDT Saturday in Las Vegas, which will air on ESPN. The Lakers will take on the New Orleans Pelicans at 8:30 p.m. Saturday in Las Vegas.