2025 No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg dazzled early in his NBA Summer League debut with the Dallas Mavericks, garnering his coach Jason Kidd’s approval.
Anticipation was high for Flagg’s opener in Las Vegas against the Bronny James-led Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, with ticket prices reaching a historic average of $223. Despite being double-teamed from the opening tip, Flagg delivered several highlight-worthy plays in the first quarter, prompting Kidd to laud his poise and versatility.
Jason Kidd Raves About Cooper Flagg’s Summer League Debut and Reacts to His Impressive First Basket
Flagg’s first points as a Maverick came dramatically, as he drove the ball coast-to-coast on a fast-break and threw down a right-handed hammer midway through the opening frame.
COOPER FLAGG’S FIRST BUCKET IN A MAVS UNIFORM IS A BIG-TIME SLAM ‼️#NBA2KSummerLeague on ESPN pic.twitter.com/h7Ta564bS8
— NBA (@NBA) July 11, 2025
Flagg proceeded to close the quarter with a fadeaway midrange jumper and an and-one finish in transition. The 18-year-old ended the first half with 10 points, three rebounds, one assist, and two steals, shooting 5-for-15 (33.3%) across 16 minutes.
Cooper Flagg in the first half:
10 PTS
3 REB
2 STL pic.twitter.com/gdWXbzV3rh— Real Sports (@realapp_) July 11, 2025
Despite Flagg’s rough shooting percentage, including his 0-for-4 mark from deep, Kidd liked what he saw from the rookie who was tasked with a heavy workload. The veteran coach praised Flagg’s dynamic play, including his ability to facilitate for his teammates.
“I think Cooper’s done an incredible job with all the minutes,” Kidd said. “He’s handled the ball, he’s gotten wide-open shots for teammates, he’s finished. I think you’ve seen a lot of what he can do in this league.”
“His poise as an 18-year-old is incredible.”@malika_andrews gets Jason Kidd’s first impressions of Cooper Flagg in his summer league debut 👀 pic.twitter.com/E7KW6LwCLb
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 11, 2025
As for Flagg’s dunk that put him on the board, Kidd was elated to watch the 6’9″ forward navigate intense defensive coverage and get to the rim with ease.
“I had a great seat. I got excited to see No. 32 get an easy one, and it was with a dunk,” Kidd said. “Again, he’s shown that he can handle the press. I thought the Lakers sent a double-team on the first play of the game. I think that’s out of respect.”
Kidd on Flagg’s Expected Ball-Handling Duties in His Rookie Season
When asked if Dallas fans would get to see “point Coop” during his rookie campaign, with star point guard Kyrie Irving (knee) sidelined, Kidd confirmed as much. The 2011 NBA champion noted that such a talented prospect needs as many reps as possible to develop his game.
“Yeah, I think when you have someone like Cooper who can handle, who can shoot, who can pass, you want the ball in his hands,” Kidd said. ” … He’s gonna have some mistakes, we all did, we all threw it in the stands once in a while, but I think just his poise as an 18-year-old is incredible.”
Thus, it appears Flagg will be an offensive focal point from Day 1 for the Anthony Davis-led Mavericks, who are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 39-win season.
