By his own admission, No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg’s summer league debut on Thursday was not up to his standard. In his second outing on Saturday, however, the future of the Dallas Mavericks showed exactly why he’s viewed as a generational prospect.
Flagg scored 31 points in 31 minutes in Saturday’s showdown with No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper, as the Mavericks fell to the San Antonio Spurs, 76-69. His 31 points were the most by a No. 1 pick in the Las Vegas Summer League since John Wall in 2010, and some quick and easy math tells us that Flagg scored nearly half of his team’s total — an impressive feat, even in an exhibition. He shot 10 for 21 from the field, while adding four rebounds, an assist and a block.
Flagg also knocked down the first 3-pointers of his career, going 3 for 9 from deep. He was notably aggressive, making a concerted effort to get to the rim and seek out contact, going 8 for 13 from the free throw line after logging just one attempt in his debut.
Anyone with doubts about Flagg’s ceiling after a shaky debut are certainly reconsidering their stance following Saturday’s performance.
| Debut vs. Lakers | 10 | 5-21 | 0-5 | 0-1 |
| Saturday vs. Spurs | 31 | 10-21 | 3-9 | 8-13 |
Harper was also impressive in limited time on the floor, scoring 16 points in just under 20 minutes on 5-for-12 shooting in his summer league debut (he missed the Spurs’ opener due to a groin injury). He showcased the talent and demeanor that made him such an intriguing prospect as a 6-foot-6 guard, playing under control and getting to the rim both in the halfcourt and in transition.
Harper added six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block, while going 6 for 7 from the free throw line.
“I think I came out great, just trying to get my guys involved, just trying to play the right way and just ultimately come out here and win, and that’s what we did today,” Harper said after his debut. “So, I had a good day.”
Flagg and Harper are at the top of what is expected to be an impactful draft class that also features VJ Edgecombe, Ace Bailey and Kon Knueppel, among others. Carter Bryant, Harper’s teammate who was selected No. 14 overall by the Spurs, was particularly impressive on the defensive end in Saturday’s win.
Linked as the top two picks in the draft, this is just the first of many battles between Flagg and Harper. If the ensuing matchups are anything like this one, we’re in for a treat as the prospects continue to grow and develop.
“Definitely great competition. I mean, the whole [draft] class, we’re a bunch of competitors,” Harper said of his matchup with Flagg. “He had a good game, I had a good game. I think overall, we just showcased what we could do to the whole basketball world.”
