Cooper Flagg hasn’t played a minute of pro basketball, but the Dallas Mavericks are already treating him like their future. That journey begins this week in Las Vegas, with NBA Summer League giving Dallas its first look at the top pick in action. It’s clear they’re not rushing anything with their prized rookie.
How Will Josh Broghamer Manage Cooper Flagg’s Summer League Minutes?
Before boarding the flight west, the Mavericks held practice in Dallas. This final tune-up gave reporters a chance to hear directly from Summer League head coach Josh Broghamer about his plans for Flagg.
When asked how many games Flagg would play, Broghamer didn’t give a number. Not because they don’t have a plan but because the plan is to stay flexible.
“We will take it day-by-day,” Broghamer said. “Once we get out to Vegas kind of figure out the schedule and see how he does starting with the Lakers and then kind of go from there.”
Mavericks Summer League HC Josh Brogh247amer was asked how many games Cooper Flagg will play in Summer League:
“We will take it day-by-day. Once we get out to Vegas kind of figure out the schedule and see how he does starting with the Lakers and then kind of go from there.”
— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) July 8, 2025
This same mindset applies to Flagg’s role on the court. There’s no script. No set plays to run through. Instead, Dallas is using practice to throw a variety of looks at the rookie and see how he handles them.
“From Cooper, the biggest thing with him is just he can do so many different things,” Broghamer said.
“Whether it’s on the ball, off the ball, guarding the basketball, being a play-maker… I think with him it’s just starting simple and letting him kind of play his brand of basketball. Which fits a lot of different areas… You know, putting him in those uncomfortable spots.”
While the spotlight will naturally fall on the 18-year-old during Thursday’s matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas isn’t measuring success by box scores. They want to understand what Flagg can absorb, how he adapts, and which pieces of his game are most NBA-ready.
What Does Flagg Bring From His Duke Experience?
Flagg didn’t shy away from the challenge. In fact, he sounded like someone who’d been waiting for this kind of freedom.
Reflecting on his lone year at Duke, he talked about how head coach Jon Scheyer trusted him to handle the ball and initiate offense. Not always as the point guard, but often as the guy making decisions in the half-court.
“I didn’t bring it up a ton,” said Flagg. “But in the half-court, I handled it a lot, you know, set up a lot of different actions. I think it’s something I can do at a high level, so I’m excited to just experiment and do some new things.”
The Mavericks will hold one last practice on Wednesday before heading to Vegas. For Flagg, the mission is clear: start laying the foundation now, and let the rest come naturally.