One of the most exciting additions to the NBA in the Draft this season was Cooper Flagg, who was selected No. 1 by the Dallas Mavericks. So, it’s only natural that his Summer League appearance would draw in huge crowds. Pin him against LeBron James’ son Bronny, and the spectacle gets even bigger. But even the star showing aside, both players have drawn plaudits for how they’ve used this opportunity to develop into better ballers. ESPN’s Bobby Marks recently spoke about the same.
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Marks pointed out how Flagg improved his overall play in Game 2, after a comparatively underwhelming Game 1 showing against the Lakers. In that match, he scored just 10 points and was 5 of 21 from the field. The next time he took to the court, he burst out for 31, shooting 10 out of 21, a marked improvement.
Marks was pleased with how Flagg had worked on going left, which had previously been a weakness. Speaking on ESPN, he broke down Flagg’s game and also brought Bronny into the spotlight, emphasizing how both players had impressed him.
About the latest Mavericks superstar, Marks said, “The one thing I wanted to see in him was the ability to go left. And as you see right here, that’s the one concern scouts had, and it felt like he made an admission, for every one of his drives to go left. Once he was able to go downhill like we saw in this game, it kind of ended up opening everything for Cooper.”
Marks added that prospects should use the Summer League to experiment and improve. And that’s exactly what Flagg showed he was doing, as evidenced by his significant jump in performance.
Apart from Flagg, however, the other player that Marks was impressed by was Bronny, who is someone who was heavily crucified by the NBA media during his rookie campaign last year. “You’re gonna look at his box score the last two games, it’s 7 for 18, he scored 22 points. What’s impressed me the most is his defense.”
The 52-year-old also noted that if Bronny commits to improving on the defensive end, it could go a long way in helping him become a bona fide NBA player. Against New Orleans, Marks recalled how Bronny had two steals and a block. “That’s going to be his calling card as far as for him to get to the NBA from a defensive angle, in a thin Laker backcourt.”
Flagg and Bronny entered the NBA from opposite ends of the draft spectrum. Flagg was the number one overall pick, while Bronny, still trying to step out of his father LeBron’s shadow, was selected 55th in 2024. Flagg is widely expected to become an All-Star in no time, while Bronny has never carried the same expectations. Hopefully for him, this is the year he breaks out.
