Is Cooper Flagg playing tonight against Spurs? Exploring Mavs rookie's availability for NBA Summer League (July 12)

On Thursday, Cooper Flagg introduced himself to the NBA Summer League by pulling off a poster dunk and contributing to the Dallas Mavericks' 87-85 victory over the LA Lakers. After giving fans a taste of what he's capable of against NBA-caliber competition, Flagg has generated even more excitement for his next games.

Saturday marks another opportunity for Flagg to showcase his talents in the Summer League, this time against the San Antonio Spurs. Hoops fans will be happy to know that the 2025 top draft pick is expected to suit up in this showdown of Texas teams.

NBA: Summer League-Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks - Source: Imagn

Against the Spurs, the 6-foot-9 forward can build on the positive things in his debut performance. Flagg turned in an all-around performance in the Mavs' win over the Lakers, putting up 10 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals, and one block. As expected, Flagg's versatility helped Dallas outshine LA on both ends of the floor.

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On the other hand, Flagg will certainly look to work on his areas for improvement. Two of these are his efficiency and consistency: Flagg shot just 5-for-21 from the field and went scoreless for the entirety of the second half. Also, though the Mavs came away with the victory, he was a -1 on the plus/minus column.

Flagg will get another chance to prove himself on Saturday against the Spurs, who blew out the Philadelphia 76ers 111-70 this past Thursday. In particular, he'll be going up against talented wings like former NBA G League player David Jones Garcia and 2025 lottery pick Carter Bryant.

Cooper Flagg draws applause from 1x NBA champion at Summer League game vs Lakers

Aside from fans, some of the league's biggest stars have come out in support of the players competing in the Summer League. In the case of Flagg, it did not take long for him to wow his highly decorated Mavs teammate.

Kyrie Irving, a one-time NBA champion and nine-time All-Star, was seen applauding Flagg after the rookie hit a smooth pull-up jumper over Lakers guard Dalton Knecht.

It will take a long time before Irving, who is recovering from an ACL injury, gets to share the court with Flagg in an NBA game. This early, however, it appears that Flagg is quickly earning Irving's admiration.

Edited by Simoun Victor Redoblado