How to Watch: Cooper Flagg makes NBA preseason debut in Mavericks-Thunder

The 2025 preseason is finally here for the Dallas Mavericks. Many teams have already tipped off play, including some international games, but after a week in Vancouver for training camp, the Mavs will open the preseason in Fort Worth against the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

This is the next step in the debut of first overall pick Cooper Flagg. He only played two games in the Summer League in Las Vegas, struggling in the first game against the Los Angeles Lakers, but he dominated the second against the San Antonio Spurs. Dallas is hoping he can build on that in the preseason and into the regular season in two weeks.

Dallas should be mostly healthy for this game, but that doesn't mean everyone will play. Kyrie Irving is still recovering from ACL surgery, and he's not making any guarantees on when he will return. Daniel Gafford will also be out because of an ankle sprain, but everyone else has been practicing.

Sep 29, 2025; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) poses for a photo during the Mavericks 2025 media day at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Brandon Williams missed part of training camp with a hamstring strain, and Dante Exum also missed part of training camp. However, everyone outside of Gafford and Irving participated in the most recent practice, so unless they decide to hold someone out, which can be the norm in the preseason, this should be a good opportunity to see what the team looks like.

A lot of noise has been made all offseason about what the team will look like without Irving in the lineup. Do they have enough playmakers? Do they have enough shooting? Is a big lineup viable in the modern NBA? While we likely won't get some of those answers until the regular season starts near the end of the month, this is at least a good test.

The Thunder need no introduction. They were clearly the best team in the NBA last season, led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, and a deep supporting cast of role players. However, the Mavericks won the season series against them last year in what has become a fascinating rivalry.