Mavericks assistant coach praises No.1 pick Cooper Flagg

Cooper Flagg appears ready to make his Dallas Mavericks debut in the NBA Summer League, with the team set to face Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. 

Flagg was widely projected as the No. 1 pick well ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, and Dallas landed the selection despite having just a 1.8 percent chance of winning the lottery. Now, the Duke standout will look to impress both the front office and fans as he prepares for Summer League action. 

According to Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News, Mavericks assistant coach Josh Broghamer said he has already been impressed by Flagg’s approach ahead of his Summer League debut, praising the 18-year-old’s relentless work ethic. 

“He’s one of the first guys in the gym,” Broghamer said. “We had to make him sit down on the Fourth of July just because he wanted to be here working already. I think that’s something you see with him first, and then the talent.” 

#Mavs summer league coach Josh Broghamer on Cooper Flagg:

“He’s one of the first guys in the gym. We had to make him sit down on the Fourth of July just because he wanted to be here working already. I think that’s something you see with him first, and then the talent.” pic.twitter.com/5019e6kV1Q

— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) July 8, 2025MORE: Mavericks unlikely to land 12-time All-Star amid free agency rumors

Flagg showcased his work ethic and sky-high potential during his lone season at Duke, becoming just the fourth freshman in NCAA men’s history to earn Naismith College Player of the Year honors. 

Additionally, Flagg helped lead the Blue Devils to a 35-4 record, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per game across 37 appearances. He also recorded shooting splits of 48.1/38.5/84.0 during that span. 

Flagg will join a stacked Mavericks roster featuring Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson in his rookie year. The team will look to make a deep playoff run after missing the postseason in the 2024-25 campaign.

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