5 things to watch at NBA Summer League: Cooper Flagg makes debut

It’s become common for the opening night of the NBA Summer League to feature the top draft picks or top teams in the league.

This year’s event is no exception.

Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in last month’s draft, and the Dallas Mavericks will face Bronny James, the son of LeBron James, and the Los Angeles Lakers at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Thomas &Mack Center on the first day of the 11-day event.

“This is (Flagg’s) first NBA experience, the crowd will be electric,” NBA Summer League co-founder Albert Hall said. “It’s kind of like a prize fight crowd. A guy like that, who we think has a really bright future, why not create a little drama and match him up against the Lakers on opening night?”

Eight games are scheduled for the Thomas &Mack and Cox Pavilion on Thursday. The event concludes July 20 with the championship game at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

Here are five things to watch:

1. First look at top picks

Flagg and James are the main headliners Thursday, but two of the other top picks will face off in the following game.

The San Antonio Spurs, with No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper, and the Philadelphia 76ers, featuring No. 3 pick V.J. Edgecombe, conclude the first day of games at 7 p.m. at the Thomas &Mack.

Two other top selections meet when fourth pick Kon Knueppel and the Charlotte Hornets face Ace Bailey, the fifth pick, and the Utah Jazz at 4 p.m. Friday at the Thomas &Mack.

“It’s huge,” Hall said of the importance of having the top draft picks headlining the first days. “Whether it’s (the) No. 1 vs. No. 2 (overall draft picks) or an intriguing matchup or No. 2 vs. No. 3. Usually, in the first two games, we’ve tried to pit (the top draft picks) head-to-head. It also builds the momentum for the teams.”

2. Flagg makes debut

Flagg showcased his talents last summer in Las Vegas as part of the USA Select Team, competing against Team USA before the Olympics in Paris.

After a sensational season at Duke, where Flagg helped the Blue Devils reach the Final Four, the Mavericks selected the 6-foot-9-inch forward after getting the No. 1 pick despite having a 1.8 percent chance to win the draft lottery.

Hall said everyone is “juiced up” to see Flagg get his first taste of the professional game. He said the anticipation around Flagg is similar to when New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson came into the league in 2019, adding that he thinks Flagg is a more “complete player” than when Williamson was a rookie.

Flagg “was out here last summer and held his own against all the (U.S.) Olympic team and developmental players,” Hall said.

3. Other top prospects

Flagg will get most of the attention, but Hall said first-round picks such as Edgecombe, Bailey, Khaman Maluach (picked No. 10 and traded to the Phoenix Suns) and Yang Hansen (picked No. 16 by the Memphis Grizzlies) are other touted players fans should keep their eyes on.

The top five picks are American-born players who went to U.S. colleges. The previous two No. 1 picks, Victor Wembanyama and Zaccharie Risacher, came from France.

Hall said it helps build interest when fans have followed young prospects from the high school ranks to college before coming to the Summer League.

“These kids start here at an early age playing in the tournaments in the grassroots circuit, and then college with the NIL space, they’re tending to stay in college a little longer, so they have a little bit of a following,” he said.

4. Summer League returners

Summer League isn’t just a showcase for incoming players. There are plenty of returning players who were top picks in the 2024 draft.

Among notable returners are Alex Sarr, the No. 2 overall pick by the Washington Wizards, and Reed Sheppard, selected third by the Houston Rockets. First-round pick Dalton Knecht and James are listed on the Lakers’ roster.

“There’s depth throughout the league this year and a lot of the second-year players,” Hall said. “Last year’s draft wasn’t touted as highly, so those second-year players come back with a year under their belt, and now they can really prove that they were worth that pick.”

5. Options for fans

If fans want a break from watching games, there will be plenty of other options. The Summer League will host the qualifiers for the Pop-A-Shot Championship from Thursday to Saturday.

There will be a Summer League film festival from July 17 to 19, when 34 projects will be shown. The festival is highlighted by the Kings of Vegas film on the 1989-90 UNLV men’s basketball team that won the national championship.

“We got all kinds of different stuff that we always want to launch and create new things every year,” Hall said.

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.