Cooper Flagg's summer league debut wasn't perfect. But there were flashes of greatness, and at this stage the Mavericks would be wise to let him fail.

The Dallas Mavericks were truly blessed with the first overall pick of the 2025 NBA Draft after the tumultuous second half of the 2024-25 NBA season, picking Flagg, whose hype for the draft matched that of even LeBron James back in 2003.

Flagg's first points as a pro came on a slam dunk with less than five minutes to go in the first quarter. The Mavericks guard finished with 10 points, six rebounds and eight assists in his debut. He played 32 minutes, making 5 of 21 field goals, missing all five of his three-point attempts.

The Dallas Mavericks received a gift when they won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, allowing them to select Cooper Flagg first overall. He's one of the most highly-regarded prospects of the last two decades, but he's also one of the youngest. At just 18 years old, he's the second-youngest drafted player ever.

While Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg has the usual pressure of being the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, the former Duke star is in a situation that sets up his rookie season to be tougher than even LeBron James and Victor Wembanyama’s first NBA campaigns.