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How Jason Kidd Thinks Lakers Showed Cooper Flagg 'Respect' During Summer League Debut

The Lakers' defensive strategy towards Flagg spoke volumes.

Tim Capurso

The Lakers aggressively defended Flagg, the top pick in the 2025 NBA draft, during his Summer League Debut.
The Lakers aggressively defended Flagg, the top pick in the 2025 NBA draft, during his Summer League Debut. / Candice Ward-Imagn Images
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Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, made his Summer League debut on Thursday for the Dallas Mavericks in an 87–85 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. And while it was an uneven performance—one of the worst of his life if you ask the man himself—it was immediately apparent how other teams in the league are viewing the 18-year-old phenom out of Duke: with the utmost respect.

During a halftime interview with ESPN's Malika Andrews, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd pointed out the Lakers' defensive strategy towards Flagg, which he viewed as a sign of "respect."

"... I thought the Lakers sent a double team on the first play of the game," Kidd said. "I think that's out of respect."

Indeed, Flagg, whom Kidd and Mavericks Summer League coach Josh Broghamer implored to operate as the Mavericks' point-forward of sorts, saw defensive pressure from the very first time he touched the ball, as he was trapped by the Lakers at half-court. Los Angeles kept the defensive pressure on Flagg throughout.

The Lakers' physicality and defensive pressure are likely sneak peeks at how the league may approach Flagg, one of the most vaunted rookies to ever enter the NBA, during the remainder of the Summer League and in his rookie season.

Flagg and the Mavericks are back in action on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. ET against the San Antonio Spurs.

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in November 2023, he wrote for RotoBaller and ClutchPoints, where he was the lead editor for MLB, college football and NFL coverage. A lifelong Yankees and Giants fan, Capurso grew up just outside New York City and now lives near Philadelphia. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with his family, including his three-legged cat Willow, who, unfortunately, is an Eagles fan.

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