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Mavericks' Cooper Flagg flashes signs of Jayson Tatum at Summer League

Published 5 hours ago6 minute read

There aren't many people who imagine Las Vegas in the middle of July as a destination location. Between the scorching hot temperatures and dry climate, the city may not seem ideal for a vacation in the summer. Yet, every July for a couple of weeks, Sin City transitions into the ultimate location for NBA fans. NBA Summer League has become a tradition, with fans, media, agents, scouts and just about everyone in the NBA world heading to the desert for summer hoops. To begin this year's 2K26 Summer League, buzz centered around one specific 18-year-old: Cooper Flagg.

In case you have been living under a rock and did not pay attention to the NBA over the past few months, the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February. Dallas later won the NBA Draft Lottery (with just 1.8 percent odds) and ultimately selected the “kid from Duke,” as Mavs head coach Jason Kidd once called Flagg.

Now, a couple weeks later, Cooper Flagg has played in two Summer League games. The Mavericks are shutting him down, however, bringing his Summer League to an end. Flagg endured an up and down first game against the Los Angeles Lakers before exploding for 31 points on Saturday against the San Antonio Spurs.

I was in Las Vegas to cover both games live in-person. A number of specific elements of Flagg's game were impossible to ignore. Is Flagg worth the hype, though? After all, this 18-year-old kid is being referred to as a “generational” talent by many people who closely follow the sport of basketball.

Without further ado, here are my takeaways from Flagg's Summer League effort.

In all honesty, I think Flagg's defense excites me more than his offense — and that is saying a lot because I love his offensive game (more on that later).

Before we get into the good, let's discuss what Flagg needs to work on from a defensive standpoint. He features impressive awareness, but sometimes becomes too aggressive. Flagg may bite on a pump-fake and get caught jumping while the ball-handler drives past him.

Aside from occasional over-aggressiveness, though, there isn't much else to critique about Flagg's game.

Cooper's ability to turn defense into easy offense is impactful to say the least. He makes it look effortless.

(Via via the NBA)

There are times when he needs to look up and find the outlet man after grabbing a defensive rebound. Still, he is able to run the floor with long strides at an incredible pace — with or without the ball.

Flagg is listed at 6'9″. He probably won't lead the NBA in blocked shots. Regardless of which position he plays, though, this is someone who is going to help protect the basket. His elite athleticism will allow him to challenge the best finishers in the league.

Cooper Flagg has similar size to Jayson Tatum. Both players are long and can cause havoc on both ends of the floor. Tatum has never averaged more than a block per game in a season. I wouldn't be surprised if Flagg accomplished that feat.

It's worth noting that Tatum is regarded as a quality defender. He's a two-way star, yet Flagg may even be able to surpass him from a defensive standpoint.

Flagg's awareness on defense makes him a threat as well. He seems to always be one step ahead of the offense, often getting in the way of potential passing lanes.

Defense may not be as exciting as offense, but Flagg's ability on the defensive end of the floor should not be overlooked. With that being said, he also features an extremely high offensive ceiling.

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) dunks against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first quarter of their game at Thomas & Mack Center.
Candice Ward-Imagn Images

Cooper Flagg ended up averaging over 20 points per game in his two Summer League contests. He dropped 31 points on Saturday against the Spurs despite being guarded by one of the best defensive rookies in the league in Carter Bryant.

Cooper is a three-level scorer. His shooting form is a bit funky but it's not anything to be overly-concerned with. He can still shoot the long-range shot at a respectable rate. Jayson Tatum has recorded a 37 three-point shooting percentage for his career. Given his similar size and potentially similar role, Flagg may receive similar looks to Tatum in the NBA. As a result, it wouldn't be shocking if he found the bottom of the net from deep at a similar rate to Tatum.

Flagg's explosiveness stands out. He is electrifying while getting downhill. He did miss a couple poster dunks, but Flagg features the talent to become an elite finisher at the basket.

His mid-range game is almost unstoppable. Flagg is not afraid to lean on the fadeaway jumper, but adding a more consistent runner with momentum towards the basket could enhance his all-around mid-range shooting prowess.

When it comes to his handle, Flagg isn't exactly Kyrie Irving on the floor. At 6'9″, however, Cooper can handle the rock. The Mavericks told him to be aggressive at Summer League, something that may have played a role in Flagg sometimes over-dribbling throughout the two games in Vegas.

As long as that trend doesn't carry into the regular season, Flagg should be fine.

One specific element of Flagg's game is that he seems to often rely on a spin move while backing defenders down in the post. At times, though, the basketball is too far away from his body, giving defenders the opportunity to swipe the ball away. The spin move is fine, but he needs to keep the ball closer to his body.

Scouts have mentioned Flagg as a two-way player. I'm not breaking any news by confirming that. It does seem as if his passing has been overlooked at times, however.

Sure, it was only two games. Flagg is an elite distributor, though. His size allows him to see over defenses, and he seems to consistently make the right decision when it comes to creating looks for his teammates.

Flagg isn't afraid to pass the ball into the lane even while congested — which will lead to some turnovers. With that said, he often places the ball in the perfect spot even with traffic around.

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) looks on in the first quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Thomas & Mack Center.
Candice Ward-Imagn Images

I see a lot of Jayson Tatum in Flagg's game. Will Flagg be as good as Tatum? Can he be better than the Boston Celtics star?

It's too early to tell, but it has become clear that Flagg is for real. As long as he can avoid injury trouble, Flagg's floor is All-Star caliber. His ceiling suggests multiple MVP awards. He's the perfect player to build a contending team around given his ability to impact multiple facets of the game.

Cooper Flagg is the real deal.

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