Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg walked off the courtroom with 10 factors on 5-of-21 capturing and 0 made threes, however what mattered most to him? The win.
“I might say that could be one of many worst video games of my life,” Flagg mentioned after the Mavericks’ 87–85 summer time league victory over the Lakers. “However we acquired the win, in order that’s what actually issues to me.”
It wasn’t a clear debut for the 18-year-old, however there was nothing quiet about it both. Flagg added six rebounds, 4 assists, three steals, and a game-saving block on Duke alum DJ Steward — a sequence that helped arrange Ryan Nembhard’s game-winning three within the last minute. Nembhard completed with a team-high 21 factors.
The win wasn’t safe till the Lakers’ Bronny James rimmed off a deep isolation 3-point try with lower than 5 seconds remaining within the sport.
The Poise Exhibits, Even When the Shot Doesn’t
The numbers don’t inform the entire story. Flagg performed with tempo, learn traps, rotated early, and by no means seemed rattled even because the Lakers pressured him full courtroom. Given Dallas desires him to deal with initiating the offense as a point-forward this season, it was an awesome early have a look at that problem. Regardless, he had some robust shotmaking sequences in mid-range whereas being aggressive attacking the paint.
“They had been being tremendous bodily with him within the publish or anytime he drove it,” mentioned Mavericks summer time league coach Josh Broghamer. “He simply makes the correct play over and over.”
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, who’s been protecting an in depth eye from afar, praised what Flagg confirmed, even via errors. Dallas desires him to develop and understands there will probably be errors alongside the best way, which will probably be met with endurance.
“I feel when you’ve somebody like Cooper who can deal with, who can shoot, who can move, you need the ball in his fingers. He’s an awesome decision-maker,” Kidd informed ESPN. “He did that at Duke and likewise in highschool. He’s gonna have some errors. All of us did. All of us threw it into the stands infrequently. However I feel simply his poise as an 18-year-old is unimaginable.”
Chemistry Already Clicking with Nembhard
Enjoying alongside Nembhard for lengthy stretches, Flagg benefited from having a degree guard able to enjoying off the ball who has a really feel to alleviate strain. Whereas that pushed Nembhard off the ball greater than standard, the connection between the 2 was simple to see.
“Tremendous enjoyable to play with,” Nembhard mentioned of Flagg. “He’s a brilliant unselfish man. All he desires to do is win. He guards 5 positions. He can rating the ball very well. Clearly it wasn’t his evening tonight, however the gravity he has on the market helps different guys get attractiveness.”
Nembhard completed with 21 factors and 5 assists. He additionally hit the go-ahead three late within the fourth — a shot that was made attainable by Flagg’s skip move out of strain.
“There was this man within the nook, me there, so it was simply the correct play — and he’s gonna make that proper play,” Nembhard mentioned.
They’re nonetheless studying one another’s tendencies, however the really feel is already there. Flagg and Nembhard have spent the previous few weeks constructing chemistry in observe, and it confirmed in stretches, particularly in transition and late-game actions.
“Now we have a little bit little bit of a Montverde connection,” Nembhard joked. “Two guys who are available and love the sport. He’s a cool dude, so it’s a simple connection to construct.”
Summer time League Classes Come Quick
Flagg admitted he’s nonetheless working into sport form after an extended pre-draft course of and hasn’t discovered his offensive rhythm but. He mentioned the tempo and spacing had been totally different from what he was used to, and that adjusting to the physicality will take time.
“It’s a special setting,” Flagg mentioned. “Clearly very totally different from school, and doubtless very totally different from what the true NBA is gonna be like.”
Nonetheless, the Mavericks are giving him freedom, not simply to run actions, however to fail and be taught in actual time. They need him to get snug making reads, dealing with strain, and rising via the reps, even when it means dwelling with some early errors.
“They need me to strive new issues, experiment, increase my sport — and I really feel that belief,” Flagg mentioned.
Broghamer highlighted how staggering ball-handlers all through the sport allowed Dallas to generate higher spacing and movement, significantly when Flagg shared the ground with Nembhard and Jordan Corridor.
“That was actually good for him and Cooper after which Jordan Corridor as properly to all play off one another,” Broghamer mentioned. “That helped open the ground up for everyone else.”
Studying to Lead, Even With out Scoring
Flagg was aggressive from the bounce, taking 9 photographs within the first quarter and pushing the ball off rebounds. At instances, he introduced it up towards strain and known as his personal quantity in isolation. It served as an early check to function towards aggressive ball strain and he left the sport being inspired.
“It’s new for me — bringing it up, dealing with full-court strain,” Flagg mentioned. “I used to be a little bit drained, nevertheless it was good to cope with that, work via some issues.”
He additionally famous how uncommon the summer time league dynamic is — the place rosters are crammed with undrafted veterans, rookies, and gamers on wildly totally different profession paths.
“It’s only a totally different sport — totally different spacing, totally different guys,” he mentioned. “Quite a lot of gamers are in several components of their careers, coming from totally different angles. So it’s about meshing that each one collectively, determining what works and what doesn’t.”
Not Fairly, However Productive
Flagg’s first professional outing wasn’t the highlight-reel debut some followers needed, however the flashes had been there: the assistance protection, the reads, the resilience. He performed 32 minutes and by no means stopped competing.
“I’m not essentially frightened,” Flagg mentioned, “however I’m not pleased with the way it went. On the finish of the day, we acquired the win.”
And the Mavericks consider the remainder will observe.
Dallas will get one other probability to compete with Flagg on Friday when the Mavericks face the San Antonio Spurs at Thomas & Mack Middle — and one other alternative for Flagg to settle in, regulate, and construct on a debut that, whereas uneven, left little doubt about his long-term potential.
