Right after his first game in the Summer League, which ended in an 87-85 win for the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, Cooper Flagg, the top pick of the 2025 NBA draft, expressed dissatisfaction with his performance to ESPN’s Katie George, stating it did not meet his own expectations.
Despite scoring 10 points, Flagg’s shooting was off, with only 5 successful shots out of 21 attempts, and he was even more self-critical during his press appearance.
“The coaching staff has shown a lot of faith in me,” he mentioned, when questioned about his assertive approach. “They encouraged me to try new things, to be bold. This was a different approach for me as well. It probably was one of my worst games ever. But ultimately, we won, and that’s the most important thing for me.”
Although Flagg failed to make any of his five three-point attempts, his game was not without highlights. He dazzled the crowd with a powerful dunk for his first score in the Summer League and played a crucial role in the final moments with a key block and an assist that contributed to sealing the win for Dallas.
Flagg also made significant all-around contributions, grabbing six rebounds, dishing out four assists, snatching three steals, and blocking a shot, all within 32 minutes on the court. Despite these efforts, Flagg was not content with his overall performance. However, Mavericks Summer League coach Josh Broghamer praised the rookie’s gameplay.
“He consistently makes the right decisions, and eventually, the shots will start falling,” Broghamer told The Associated Press. “He’s a player who contributes to wins, whether on offense or defense. He’s living up to the expectations, be it through the right pass, a defensive play, or scoring.”
Flagg and the Mavericks are scheduled to play again on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET against the San Antonio Spurs.
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