Cooper Flagg Reportedly Wanted One More Game in Summer League to Dominate

Cooper Flagg reportedly still wanted to prove himself after scoring 31 points in second summer league game.

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) looks on during the first quarter of their game against the San Antonio Spurs. / Candice Ward-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks quickly shut Cooper Flagg down after two games of action in the NBA summer league, but Flagg reportedly tried vying with the team to play another game.

After scoring just 10 points and going 0-5 on three-point attempts in his summer league debut against the Lakers, Flagg responded by putting up 31 points versus the Spurs in his second summer league game. Though the Mavericks only planned to play Flagg two games, Flagg reportedly wanted to show his performance against San Antonio wasn't simply a fluke.

“Since we selected him, he’s been everything we thought he’d be and even more," a Mavericks front office executive told Keith Smith of Spotrac. "Tremendous kid on and off the court. Here’s a good story for you: He shot like crap in his first game. Second game he dominated. We had a plan to play only two games. Cooper comes to the us and the coaches and asks to play a third game. We laughed and told him, ‘No. You’re good.’ And he goes, ‘I just don’t want people to think the good game was a fluke.’ All we could do was laugh, but it shows how much he wants to be great."

The Mavericks did not grant Flagg his wish, instead opting to preserve their No. 1 pick for the season ahead. Flagg's wish to play another summer league game is a testament to the competitive spirit he is known for, but he will instead have to wait for the regular season to prove himself again.

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