The Dallas Mavericks shut down Cooper Flagg for the rest of the NBA Summer League, ending the No. 1 finish in Las Vegas after just two games. NBA insider Marc Stein first reported on the Mavericks’ decision to shut down Flag.
Cooper Flagg rebounds in NBA Summer League
The Mavericks chose to close Flag after the rookie star scored 31 points against second-couped Dylan Harper and San Antonio Mast on Saturday.
Flag shot 21 shots from the floor in his summer league debut against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday and scored just 10 points on 5-shot 5.
“I think it’s a new environment, a new environment,” Flag said after losing to San Antonio 76-69 on Saturday. “They want to see me become aggressive and do this type of thing.
“I think I did better today and just went online and fouled, which helped me become comfortable and settled earlier. Still missing a bunch of free throws. I know my mom might not be happy with it.”
Mavericks summer league coach Josh Broghamer said Flag “just keep making the right game” and praised the 6-foot-9 wings for his “lost the ball” to his job against the Spurs.
Mavericks win Flagg through 2025 NBA Draft Lottery
Born on December 21, 2006, Flagg is still only 18 years old, academically reclassified and enrolled at Duke in the 2024-25 season, making him one of the youngest players in the NBA draft class.
In the 37 games (all starts) of the freshman’s 2024-25 season, he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.4 blocks and 30.7 minutes of the game, while shooting 48.1% from the field and 38.5% from the depths.
Flag won several awards in the NCAA, including ACC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors, while leading the Blue Devils into the final four games. The Maine native also won Wooden and Naismith Awards for Player of the Year, which he also has a national consensus.
The Mavericks won Flag with the 2025 NBA Draft lottery, after a few months after General Nico Harrison shocked the NBA community by trading Luka Doncic before the February trade deadline.
