The wait is finally over: Cooper Flagg, the top pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, will start his big league debut with the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA 2K26 Summer League toda, Thursday, July 10.
He faces Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers. Set for 8 p.m. ET, this game is seen as the top match of the event.
Flagg, 18, joins as a highly praised new player. In his one year at Duke, he scored 19.2 points, got 7.5 rebounds, and made 4.2 assists per game, winning National Player of the Year, a honor also held by stars like Zion Williamson, Anthony Davis, and Kevin Durant.
Now, the Mavericks aim to build their team around him. Summer League coach Josh Broghamer said Flagg will play in the first game but plans to adjust his play time and role day by day.
We’ll take it day-by-day, Once we get out to Vegas, kind of figure out the schedule and see how he does starting with the Lakers and then go from there.
Growth over dominance
Instead of sticking to a set role, Dallas wants to use the Summer League to try out Flaggs skills in various spots. He will play different roles handling the ball, without the ball, defending big players, leading the play to help him adjust to the NBA fast. Coach Jason Kidd even thought about letting Flagg play as a point forward to push his skills in making decisions and leading.
“We want him to be uncomfortable. That’s how you grow,” Kidd said. “Over time, those challenges make you better”.
Sold-out tickets and national buzz
The buzz on Flaggs first game has made ticket jumo high in prices. Courtside seats for the Mavericks-Lakers game are said to be $2,500, with other good seats at $650, making it one of the priciest Summer League games ever.
The game will also show Bronny James, the second-year Lakers guard and son of LeBron James, bringing more eyes to the event.
Flaggs grit comes from his early days. As a kid, he picked peas on a farm in Corinna, Maine, paid $1 per pound, making every job a contest with his brothers. This early hard work, his family and coaches say, is what sets him apart.
“When people talk about him, they don’t talk about basketball,” said Mavericks GM Nico Harrison. “They talk about the intangibles. That’s a guy who’s going to add to your culture”.
The Mavericks will have at least four initial games in Las Vegas, with a chance of moving forward based on their results. How much Flagg plays will depend on how he performs and grows.
For Dallas, this Summer League is not just about win, as it is bout kicking off the Cooper Flagg era with focus and patience but with an eye on a bright future.
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