Easily the most anticipated game of the 2025 NBA Las Vegas Summer League took place earlier this week between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers, pitting Bronny James against 2025 top draft pick, Cooper Flagg. Dallas walked away with the win, but the Duke standout didn’t have the best performance. Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce doesn’t think Flagg will play at that subpar level again.
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That first Summer League matchup was Flagg’s first taste of NBA basketball. Yes, he was on the USA Select Team last summer and got practice reps against NBA superstars, but the Summer League environment is much different.
Fan energy infiltrates the building and can potentially impact a player’s performance. The most expensive ticket to the game was $2,500. Fans wanted to see a show, and that’s exactly what Flagg and James gave them.
Flagg didn’t let the expectations of the matchup affect his approach to the game. Pierce noticed it from the very first possession. “I loved everything,” Pierce said on Fox Sports’ Speak. “[Dallas] won the game, and that’s what matters most. I know the shots are going to come and go at times, but [Flagg] didn’t lack confidence.”
Flagg put up 10 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists on 5-21 shooting from the field. He was never able to catch his rhythm on offense, but he didn’t let that lessen his drive.
COOPER FLAGG WITH AUTHORITY
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— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 11, 2025
Flagg’s stat line doesn’t jump off the page, but Pierce doesn’t believe numbers are the sole indicator of a player’s performance. There’s something the eye catches that statistics don’t, which is why Pierce has a bold prediction for Flagg’s next Summer League matchup.
“I look forward to him really starting to get comfortable,” Pierce said. “I think he’s going to go for a good 20 and 10, ’cause usually after that first game, you get comfortable.”
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a first overall pick struggle in the Summer League. Just a couple of seasons ago, Victor Wembanyama looked completely helpless on the court. He is now one of the league’s best players.
It didn’t help Flagg’s case that the Mavericks were experimenting with putting him at the point guard position in his first game. Now that he has a better feel for the game, success will surely follow.
Flagg and the Mavericks will be back in action on Saturday, July 12. Their matchup will be against the San Antonio Spurs and feature Flagg going up against the second overall pick, Dylan Harper. The game will be on ESPN and at 4 p.m. ET.
