Cooper Flagg, Bronny James’ Surprising Grades After NBA Summer League Battle

Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James and Dallas Mavericks small forward Cooper Flagg went head-to-head during the Las Vegas Summer League. The former USC Trojans guard is headed into his second year, while Flagg made his NBA debut. It was a close matchup between two young athletes, but how did they perform against each other?

Jul 10, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) looks on against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second quarter of their game at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

NBA Las Vegas Summer League is underway, and the Los Angeles Lakers had an exciting matchup. Lakers guard Bronny James faced the Dallas Mavericks and rookie small forward Cooper Flagg, and it was a thrilling battle.

James made his first summer league appearance last year, and it was a tough start for the former USC Trojans guard. However, in Thursday's matchup against Dallas, James did show improvement ahead of his second season in the league. Where James has improved the most is on defense.

Jul 10, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) prepares for the start of the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

James was tasked with guarding Flagg, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. With the Duke Blue Devils, Flagg averaged 19.2 points. In his first NBA appearance, Flagg finished the game shooting 5-of-21 from the floor and 0-of-5 from the 3-point range. The Mavericks' rookie still played well, finishing with 10 points, but will look to improve his shooting by the regular season.

James earned a "C" grade and Flagg earned a "B" grade from Bleacher Report after the highly-anticipated matchup.

James was well prepared heading into the game, understanding the kind of player Flagg is. The former USC guard went into the matchup with the goal of slowing Flagg down. While the Dallas rookie played well, James managed to put pressure on him.

Jul 10, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) looks on in the first quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

“He’s just a quick, powerful big,” James told ESPN. “We’ve got to do everything we can to stop him and slow him down. But he’s a great player, and he’s going to get his sometimes. Just got to do a great job of [slowing] him down.”

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James developed well on defense throughout his rookie season, and it is showing in the summer league. While the Mavericks did defeat the Lakers, James finished the game with eight points, two rebounds, and two assists. James made a big play quickly, shooting a stepback jumper over Flagg. 

Bronny James stepback OVER Cooper Flagg 😮‍💨

📺: ESPN pic.twitter.com/59sbie8vDx

— ESPN (@espn) July 11, 2025

While it is not the regular season, it was a close and exciting matchup. After the game, Flagg gave his honest opinion about how he played in his first NBA appearance.

"That might be one of the worst games of my life, but we got the win, so that’s what really matters to me," Flagg told reporters. "I couldn't really get into a rhythm, it's a different environment, obviously very different from college, it's probably very different from what the real NBA is gonna be like."

Apr 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) defends on the court in the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

While there is room for improvement for both players ahead of the 2025-2026 NBA season, the summer league matchup showed why fans should be excited for the new generation coming in.

James faced intense pressure in his rookie season, facing scrutiny in the media because of his father, Lakers forward LeBron James. Whether the former USC Trojans guard had a strong game or struggled, James was a major discussion point.

Apr 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) warms up prior to the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

James started his rookie season by splitting time between the G League and the NBA. In the NBA, he appeared in 27 games last season, only starting in one, and he averaged 6.7 minutes and 2.3 points per game. His playing time increased towards the end of the season, but he only earned significant minutes in a couple of games. He ended the regular season averaging 0.8 assists, 0.7 rebounds, 0.1 blocks, and 0.3 steals.

Heading into his second season, USC fans can expect more from James as he is more excited than nervous and ready to take a big step forward. With already showing improvement, James could become a rotational piece this season, earning more playing time.