Source: Ethan Miller / Getty
It was supposed to be the debut of the next great NBA players, but once the score was finalized and the dust settled, the opening day of the NBA Las Vegas Summer League proved to be more proof that the jump into the pros is a lot harder than many think.
“It’s just a different game,” No. 1 pick overall Cooper Flagg told the ESPN broadcast postgame, CBS Sports reports. “Different pace, different feel, different spacing. Just a lot of adjustments, but we’ll be alright.”
Flagg’s Dallas Mavericks still walked away with the 87-85 victory over Bronny James’ Los Angeles Lakers. Flagg finished the night shooting a dismal five for 21 from the floor, 0 for five three-pointers, and 0 for one from the free throw line.
“The coaches had a lot of confidence in me,” Flagg said. “They’ve been telling me they want me to experiment. Try some new things. I was trying to be aggressive. That’s new for me, too. I would say that might be one of the worst games of my life. But we got the win, so that’s what really matters to me.”
Cooper’s going to be just fine as he finds his way in the best league in basketball, and the ones who already know this are the fans who showed up “at 5:45 a.m. at the Thomas & Mack Center in Sin City to secure their spot, CBS Sports reports.
Turns out the matchup between Flagg and the son of the league’s all-time leading scorer, LeBron James, was the most expensive ticket in the Summer League’s history, “with lower bowl seats selling for $650 and courtside tickets costing $2,500.”
Bronny James finished the game with eight points, two rebounds, and two assists in 21 minutes. He also missed a deep 3-pointer that could’ve won the game for the Lakers.
But if you only let the box scores dictate the game, then you would be missing out on some flashes of promise from both Flagg and James. At the start of the game, James worked Flagg into a pick for a nice step back jumper.
Flagg would miss his first two jumper before throwing down a one-handed dunk.
Don’t get too worried about the plays they missed, as Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said he was trying new things with Flagg, using him as the primary initiator and ball-handler.
“I think when you have someone like Cooper who can handle, who can shoot, who can pass, you want the ball in his hands. He’s a great decision-maker. He did that at Duke and also in high school.” Kidd told the ESPN broadcast. “He’s gonna have some mistakes. We all did. We all threw it into the stands once in a while. But I think just his poise as an 18-year-old is incredible.”
See social media’s reaction to Flagg’s debut and James’ performance below.