Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg draws reviews from pro debut, despite off night in win over Lakers

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Cooper Flagg may not have been happy with his professional debut on Thursday night in the NBA Summer League, but he still drew some rave reviews after the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 87-85.

“Super fun to play with, he’s a super unselfish guy,” teammate Ryan Nembhard said. “All he wants to do is win. Can guard five positions, can score the ball really well.”

Flagg finished with 10 points on 5-for-21 shooting, including 0 for 5 from 3-point range. The rookie also had six rebounds, four assists, three steals and the biggest block of the night.

With 1:10 remaining and the Mavericks trailing by one, Flagg blocked Los Angeles shooting guard DJ Steward, and Nembhard capitalized at the other end with a 3-pointer to give Dallas its 87-85 lead.

“Obviously, it wasn’t his night tonight, but the gravity he has out there helps other guys get good looks,” Nembhard added. “He’s a super talent, and it’s been fun to play with him so far.”

Mavericks summer league coach Josh Broghamer said considering the team had just four practices to get acclimated with one another before arriving in Las Vegas, he was impressed with the effort in the second half.

“Once they played basketball, you saw that ball moving. Cooper making the right decisions, Ryan making our decisions, Jordan Hall, so that was something to me that by second half, those guys all played basketball together,” Broghamer said.

Broghamer said he was especially impressed with Flagg’s conditioning after seeing how the Lakers picked him up full court defensively, trapped him from the outset, and continued to play him physically.

“I think he just makes the right play over and over again, and shots will fall,” Broghamer added. “He makes winning plays, whether it’s offense or defense. I think that’s as advertised. Whether it’s a right pass or defensive possession or scoring the ball, that’s what he does.”

Flagg, who played 31 minutes and 43 seconds, admitted he was nervous for his first professional game, attributing an entirely different environment from college to pro to his off night. But he also felt comfortable knowing his coaches and teammates had confidence.

Though Flagg said “that might be one of the worst games in my life,” Lakers second-year player Bronny James was also complimentary.

“He’s a quick, powerful, big,” said James, who finished with eight points and spent much of his time defending Flagg. “I watched him in college, an amazing player. He’s going to be something special.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) drives the ball against Los Angeles Lakers guard DaJaun Gordon (45) during the second half of an NBA summer league basketball game Thursday, July 10, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) looks to shoot against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of an NBA summer league basketball game Thursday, July 10, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) drives the ball against Los Angeles Lakers guard DaJaun Gordon (45) during the second half of an NBA summer league basketball game Thursday, July 10, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

Dallas Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard (9) and forward Cooper Flagg (32) look on during the second half of an NBA summer league basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Thursday, July 10, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)

ADELBODEN, Switzerland (AP) — The big surprise of the World Cup slalom season scored his second win Sunday adding to his fast-rising reputation before the Winter Olympics.

Paco Rassat raced to the fastest time in the second run to rise from fourth place, and push two Norwegians down the podium steps after they had been fastest in the morning run.

United States-born Atle Lie McGrath was edged out by 0.18 seconds and first-run leader Henrik Kristoffersen dropped to third, trailing 0.20 behind Rassat.

The 27-year-old Frenchman had a career-best result of ninth in World Cup races before this Olympic season started.

Rassat now has two wins, a third place and two sixth places this season and shapes as a medal contender for the Milano Cortina Olympics. The men’s slalom is on Feb. 16 at Bormio.

“To win on this crazy hill at Adelboden, It’s something really unbelievable," Rassat told Swiss broadcaster RTS, describing his season as “a magnificent surprise.”

Rassat also took the lead in the seasonlong World Cup slalom standings, ahead of his France teammate Clément Noël, the defending Olympic champion. Noël tied for eighth Sunday.

McGrath was runner-up in the Adelboden slalom for the third time in four years.

“It’s kind of crazy,” said McGrath, whose father Felix skied for the U.S. at the 1988 Calgary Olympics. “I’m of course super happy, it’s such a challenging slope and mentally it’s one of the toughest places to perform because of this amazing crowd.”

Another packed finish-area crowd at Adelboden observed a minute’s silence before racing for the victims of the fatal fire in a bar in nearby Crans-Montana on New Year’s Day. Crans-Montana hosts men’s and women’s World Cup races in three weeks’ time.

The World Cup overall standings leader, four-time title holder Marco Odermatt, does not ski slalom and his huge lead was cut a little by Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, who placed fourth. Pinheiro Braathen was second to Odermatt in the classic giant slalom Saturday.

The men’s World Cup circuit stays in central Switzerland for the storied Lauberhorn meeting at Wengen, for a super-G on Friday, the classic downhill Saturday and a slalom Sunday.

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

Norway's Atle Lie McGrath reacts at the finish line during an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom, in Adelboden, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen reacts at the finish line during an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom, in Adelboden, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

France's Paco Rassat speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom, in Adelboden, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanni Zenoni)

France's Paco Rassat reacts at the finish line during an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom, in Adelboden, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Finland's Eduard Hallberg speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom, in Adelboden, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Norway's Atle Lie McGrath speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom, in Adelboden, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanni Zenoni)

Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen ahead of an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom, in Adelboden, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom, in Adelboden, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)