Mavericks Bench Rising Star Cooper Flagg Mid-Summer League—What’s Behind the Sudden Move?

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Cooper Flagg’s whirlwind introduction to the NBA Summer League came to a sudden halt after just two games—a surprising twist, considering the hype surrounding the Dallas Mavericks’ No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. After showing flashes of brilliance, especially with a fiery 31-point explosion in his second outing against the Spurs, the young forward was unexpectedly sidelined for the remainder of the summer, according to insider Marc Stein. It’s the kind of move that raises eyebrows and questions alike—why cut short a promising rookie’s runway? Flagg’s debut was a rollercoaster: from a rough start where he barely found his rhythm, to moments of pure scoring magic, all wrapped up in the kind of rookie growing pains that fans and analysts will be chewing over for weeks. As the Mavericks look ahead, the spotlight shifts—will this early restriction fuel Flagg’s fire, or slow down what could be a meteoric rise? Only time will tell. LEARN MOREAdvertisementThe strong showing came after Flagg struggled slightly in his Mavericks debut Thursday. The 18-year-old forward put up 10 points while shooting 5 of 21, calling it “one of the worst games of my life” after the game.

The strong showing came after Flagg struggled slightly in his Mavericks debut Thursday. The 18-year-old forward put up 10 points while shooting 5 of 21, calling it “one of the worst games of my life” after the game.

After two exciting games, Cooper Flagg’s time in the NBA Summer League has come to an end. The Dallas Mavericks rookie has been reportedly shut down by the team for the rest of the summer, per NBA insider Marc Stein.