Dallas Mavericks’ Biggest Cooper Flagg Concern After 2025 NBA Summer League
The Dallas Mavericks entered the 2025 NBA Summer League brimming with anticipation. All eyes were on Cooper Flagg, the 6’9” phenom out of Duke University, heralded as a generational talent and the face of the Mavericks’ future. After selecting him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the organization and fanbase expected fireworks—and Flagg didn’t disappoint entirely. He showed flashes of brilliance: a chase-down block here, a step-back three there, and a high basketball IQ that hinted at future stardom. But beneath the highlights, one concern began to crystallize—physicality.
Flagg’s skill set is undeniably elite. He averaged 17.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.7 blocks over five Summer League games, shooting 48% from the field and 39% from deep. His offensive versatility and defensive instincts were apparent. He guarded positions 2 through 4, read passing lanes like a seasoned vet, and acted as a secondary playmaker in half-court sets. Yet, against older, more physically developed opponents, Flagg struggled with contact. He was often bumped off his spots when driving, got pushed around in the post, and at times avoided initiating physical battles near the rim. The concern is not his effort—Flagg plays hard—but rather the question of whether his body is NBA-ready.
In one notable game against the Miami Heat Summer League squad, Flagg was matched up against veteran two-way forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. On several possessions, Jaquez muscled through Flagg for second-chance points or bodied him off rebounding opportunities. It was a microcosm of what Flagg might face in the regular season: bigger, stronger players unafraid to impose their will.
“He’s got the tools,” said Mavericks Summer League coach God Shammgod. “But there’s no shortcut to building that core strength and adapting to the grind of an 82-game season. He’ll get there, but it’s a process.”
Dallas’ front office remains optimistic. They’ve already implemented a tailored strength and conditioning program for Flagg, focusing on lower-body explosiveness and upper-body strength. “He’s 18,” said Mavericks GM Nico Harrison. “What he’s doing already is insane. But the league is grown-man basketball. We’ve got to get him there physically.”
Flagg, for his part, is self-aware. “I felt it,” he admitted postgame. “There were moments I knew I had the right move, but I just didn’t have the power to finish it. That’s on me to develop.”
Despite the concern, no one doubts Flagg’s ceiling. His instincts, motor, and skill package are rare, and many around the league compare his trajectory to Kevin Durant’s early years—where questions about physicality eventually faded as skills and savvy matured. Still, for now, Dallas’ biggest concern isn’t his shot selection or role in the offense. It’s whether Flagg can hold up physically in a league defined by power as much as finesse. The Summer League showed the future is bright—but the weight room awaits.
