No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg turned in what he openly called "one of the worst games of my life," but still delivered the game’s biggest moment when it mattered most.
With just 1:10 left on the clock in Thursday night’s NBA 2K26 Summer League opener, Flagg flew in from the weak side to reject a layup attempt by Los Angeles Lakers guard DJ Steward. Without missing a beat, he raced the ball down the floor, drew three defenders at the rim, and dished it out to Ryan Nembhard, who drained a clutch 3-pointer that gave the Dallas Mavericks the lead for good in an 87-85 win.
Though Flagg struggled shooting (just 5-of-21 from the field, 0-for-5 from deep), his coaches believe that defensive stop and game-winning assist defined the night—proof of Flagg’s competitive edge and versatility.
"That's what he does," said Mavericks assistant coach Josh Broghamer, who’s leading the team in summer league. "He makes winning plays—offense, defense, whatever's needed. That’s who Cooper is."
Dallas head coach Jason Kidd had a bold plan for Flagg—play him as a point forward to expand his game. The 6-foot-8, 220-pound phenom took on the challenge, though the Lakers came in aggressive, trapping him from the opening possession and getting physical all night.
"That’s respect,". "When you’ve got a guy who can handle, pass, and shoot like Cooper, you want the ball in his hands. He's a great decision-maker. He was that at Duke. He was that in high school. He’s 18. He’ll make mistakes—so did we all. But his poise? Incredible."
Flagg finished the game with a full stat line: 10 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 1 massive block. While his outside shooting never found rhythm (just 2-of-17 from outside the restricted area), he showcased ball-handling and vision as a lead facilitator.
"Coaches believe in me," Flagg said postgame. "They told me to experiment and try new things. I was trying to stay aggressive, which is new for me. Honestly, that might’ve been one of the worst games of my life. But we got the win, and that’s what matters."
Most of Flagg’s success came in transition, with only one of his buckets happening in a half-court set—a tough midrange turnaround over Bronny James. That play followed a controversial foul call on James, after he poked the ball from Flagg’s hands on a post-up—drawing loud boos from the Thomas & Mack Center crowd, who buzzed every time the top pick squared off with the second-year Laker.
"He’s got like six inches on me," James joked. "So I’ve got to hold my ground. He’s great—watched him in college. Total respect. He’s going to be something special."
Even if his jumper was off, Flagg wowed fans with jaw-dropping plays in transition. His first bucket? A thunderous tomahawk dunk in traffic off a steal and fast break. The next possession, he stopped and popped a baseline fadeaway over Dalton Knecht, a 2024 first-rounder. Later, he added an and-1 layup after catching a long lead pass, and a crafty finish over Darius Bazley after going coast-to-coast.
Flagg, who averaged 19.2 points on 48.1% shooting in his lone season at Duke, admitted he was frustrated with his half-court struggles, but stayed upbeat.
"Shots weren’t falling. It happens," he said. "I haven’t taken this many shots before, so it’s new. I’ll figure it out. It’s all part of the experience. I’m just excited to keep going and get better."
Description:
"Top NBA Draft pick Cooper Flagg overcame a tough shooting night to deliver a game-changing block and assist in his Summer League debut, leading the Dallas Mavericks to an 87-85 win over the Lakers. Despite going 5-of-21 from the field, Flagg impressed with his defense, playmaking, and transition highlights in his first official pro appearance."