Top pick Flagg makes Mavs debut vs. Bronny, Lakers in Summer League on TSN
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The top pick in the 2025 NBA draft, Cooper Flagg, makes his first appearance in a Mavericks uniform as Dallas takes on the Los Angeles Lakers to open a Summer League doubleheader on TSN.
Bronny James, the son of NBA legend LeBron James, will be on the court for the opposing Lakers in a juicy matchup.
Afterwards, the San Antonio Spurs clash with the Philadelphia 76ers in a game featuring another top pick in the summer's draft in Dylan Harper.
Flagg's highly-anticipated Mavericks debut vs. James, Lakers
Flagg, the top pick out of Duke, has been hailed as a potential face of the league since he was the top recruit out of high school entering the 2024 class.
He did not disappoint in his one-and-done year with the Blue Devils, earning National Player of the Year recognition, a consensus First Team All-American nod and helping the team to a spot in the Final Four.
After making Flagg the top selection, Mavericks GM Nico Harrison said that the team - which beat very low odds of 1.8 per cent to win the top pick in the draft - is in 'win-now mode' with superstar centre Anthony Davis on the roster.
Head coach Jason Kidd expects to push Flagg in Summer League, to get an idea of what he has on his roster and to help the 18-year-old phenom get acclimated as quickly as possible. He wants Flagg to start at point guard to get comfortable with running the offence early.
"I want to make him uncomfortable and see how he reacts [to] being able to run the show, being able to play the two, play the three," Kidd said of Flagg after the draft in June. "He's comfortable playing that, but we want to push, and I think he's going to respond in a positive way. It's all right to fail, it's all right to turn the ball over. We've talked about that. Just understanding the guys that I've been around that have been young.
"So I'm excited about giving [Flagg] the ball against the Lakers and see what happens. Let's get it started right off the bat. But I think just his poise -- he's going to be successful for a long time."
Second pick Harper gets a chance to shine in battle of teams full of potential in Spurs and 76ers
The Spurs and 76ers complete the doubleheader on the opening day of Summer League with the second--overall pick from the draft getting his debut.
Rutgers guard Harper was taken second overall by the Spurs, and while the 76ers took Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe one pick later, he will miss the action due to a sprained thumb.
Harper has the potential to give the Spurs a formidable backcourt alongside De'Aaron Fox to pair with burgeoning superstar Victor Wembanyama and Rookie of the Year winner Stephon Castle as the team seeks to break a six-year postseason drought.
"That's going to change really quick," Harper said at his introductory news conference. "We're going to make the playoffs. I think for the Spurs fans and everyone else, our group is very exciting. There's a lot to look forward to. The sky's the limit for this group we've got."