It’s been a wild ride for Cooper Flagg. In the span of just a few days, the No. 1 overall pick went from winning a major award to playing what he called “one of the worst games of my life.” It was the kind of chaos that perfectly captures the insane pressure and sky-high expectations facing an 18-year-old kid stepping onto the biggest stage in basketball. But through all the noise, his new coach has cleared up the one doubt that might have been lingering: his character.
The high point was a big one. On Wednesday night, Flagg won the 2025 ESPY for Best College Athlete in Men’s Sports, beating out Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter for the honor. It was a fitting end to a legendary season at Duke, where he was named National Player of the Year, swept the ACC awards, and carried the Blue Devils to the Final Four. As ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips put it, the award was “another incredible milestone in a historic year for Cooper.”
But the glitz of the ESPYs felt a million miles away from his first taste of the NBA just a few days earlier. In his Summer League debut against the Lakers, Flagg looked, well, human. He struggled, shooting a rough 5-for-21 from the field. For a player who has dominated at every level, it was a humbling experience, and he was brutally honest about it afterward.
So, how does a kid respond to that? If there were any questions about his resilience, he answered them in his very next game. Against the Spurs, Flagg was electric, exploding for 31 points in 31 minutes and showing off the all-around game that made him the no-brainer No. 1 pick. The performance had his new teammates buzzing. “Cooper’s great, man. It’s a lot of pressure being the No. 1 pick,” said Mavs wing Naji Marshall. “I think he got the jitters out. In the second game, he came back with 30. I’m excited to play with Coop and just look forward to his progression.”
That progression is what has the Mavericks so excited. And it all comes back to the one thing his coach says you never have to worry about. “One thing with Cooper, you don’t have to worry about him being in the gym,“ said Dallas Mavericks Summer League head coach Josh Broghamer. “He’s always gonna work and try to get better whether he’s playing the games or not.” After a week that tested him with both incredible highs and humbling lows, that unwavering work ethic is the one thing that clears any doubt. The talent is obvious. But it’s the character that has the Mavs convinced they got their guy.
Dallas Mavericks Summer League head coach Josh Broghamer on Cooper Flagg:
“One thing with Cooper, you don’t have to worry about him being in the gym, so I think he’s always gonna work and try to get better whether he’s playing the games or not. He does a great job with his work…
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) July 18, 2025
(This is a developing story…)
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