Cooper Flagg made his professional debut on Thursday night in the NBA Summer League, leading the Dallas Mavericks to an 87-85 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in a highly anticipated matchup against Bronny James. The game captivated fans with several standout plays from both players.
Bronny James’ reaction to Flagg’s performance
It was Bronny James himself who spoke about the player poised to become an NBA superstar, the No. 1 pick in the latest NBA Draft who landed with the Dallas Mavericks.
“He’s a quick, powerful big. We gotta do everything we can to stop him and slow him down. He’s a great player, he’s gonna get his… Just gotta do a great job of stopping him, though,” Bronny said at halftime to NBA on ESPN.
The former Duke Blue Devils star finished with 10 points, going 5-for-21 from the field, while also recording six rebounds, four assists, three steals, and one block. At times, he struggled to find his rhythm, but he showed flashes of why he was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the latest Draft.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd told The Associated Press before the game that he’s looking for nothing more than effort and grit in his team’s opening game, emphasizing hard play.
“This Summer League is a little different when you have this type of turnout,” Kidd said. “But the guys have had a couple practices. There’s going to be some turnovers. I just want to see how they respond to a couple of mistakes being made, no one’s gonna play a perfect game and be unselfish.”
As for his prized draft pick: “We’re all excited,” Kidd said of Flagg. “Seen enough of him on tape, so now it’s good to see him on the floor.”
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