Dallas Mavericks fans got their first taste of Cooper Flagg on the court on Thursday night, as the No. 1 draft pick played in the team’s Summer League game.
Flagg earned a lot of attention, but not many points.
He posted 10 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals, and a block during his 31 minutes on the court.
Afterwards, Flagg admitted that it wasn’t a good game for him, but he was happy to perform alongside his teammates.
“I was trying to be aggressive. That’s new for me too. That might be one of the worst games of my life, but we got the win, that’s what really matters to me. My teammates Miles, Ryan, Jordan held it down. They did what they had to do. I’m just glad we got the win,” Flagg said, via Mike Curtis.
Cooper Flagg called his summer league debut “one of the worst games of my life,” but he’s glad the #Mavs escaped with the win. pic.twitter.com/gZ7A7jIr06
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) July 11, 2025
Flagg missed 16 of his 21 shot attempts and didn’t produce anything from beyond the three-point line.
On top of that, he didn’t score at all during the second half.
This isn’t a cause for panic, at least not yet.
This was Flagg’s first time with the Mavericks, and he clearly has to adjust to playing in the NBA.
This summer will be hugely consequential for Flagg, who needs to create chemistry with fellow Dallas players and also process massive life changes that can be overwhelming.
The expectations are high, and he knows that.
He isn’t happy with how he played on Thursday, and that’s a good thing.
His comments promise that he will push himself very hard in the weeks and months ahead so he can be a worthy addition to the Dallas roster when the new season begins.
He got off to a lukewarm start on Thursday, but Flagg may still get red-hot in 2025-26.
NEXT: Cooper Flagg Gets Honest About His Summer League Debut