It’s 109 degrees outside in Las Vegas, but the real heat is building inside the Thomas & Mack Center. Fans are pouring in, phones up, eyes peeled. They’re not here just for any Summer League game; they’re here to witness the next-gen stars. The debut of No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg against Bronny James, the son of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. For any NBA junkie, this feels different. Like something’s shifting. Like we’re watching the start of a new era. And then, Cooper Flagg walked onto the practice court and shocked everyone, without saying a word.

While the gym was filled with buzzing cameras and journalists prepping their microphones, Flagg barely acknowledged any of it. He was too busy running catch-and-shoot drills, talking through positioning with Lewis, and gesturing subtly to assistant coaches about footwork tweaks. That level of control in a player so young? It shocked even seasoned NBA eyes. 

The reporters expected a show. Instead, they got silence until Flagg started shooting. A video clip posted by @noahweber00 on X shows Flagg and teammate Max Lewis drilling threes from the right wing at Dallas Mavericks Summer League practice. The caption: “Cooper Flagg and Max Lewis work on right wing threes at Dallas Mavericks Summer League practice…Flagg does not miss in this entire clip.” Quietly, mechanically, rhythmically, bucket after bucket. It wasn’t just impressive; it was surgical, enough to make every beat reporter fall silent.

This wasn’t the behavior of an 18-year-old rookie. This was a vet in a teenager’s frame, and that’s what left everyone in disbelief. His performance echoes his confidence: “Yeah, I’m looking forward to it,” Flagg said about the opportunity to play point guard. “Coach Scheyer trusted me a lot last year, and I handled it a lot…Set up a lot of different actions, I think it’s something I can do at a high level, so I’m excited to just experiment and do some new things.” No trash talk, no chest thumping, no antics. Just flawless form and focus.

And the matchup? Cooper Flagg vs. Bronny James. The stakes? Technically low, emotionally massive. Because this is more than a game. It’s a measuring stick for two players who’ve been carrying hype since high school. You wouldn’t guess it’s an exhibition of the prices. According to Vivid Seats, courtside tickets for Thursday’s Mavericks-Lakers game are topping $3,000. The average seat is going for $223, the most expensive Summer League game since Victor Wembanyama’s debut in 2023. 

Cooper Flagg vs Bronny James: the Summer League showdown

For Dallas, it isn’t just a Flagg vs Bronny show. They didn’t take the star for comparisons. The thought is deep, and the rule is simple: Test Cooper this summer before the regular season starts. “We’ll take it day by day…Once we get out to Vegas, (we’ll) kind of figure out the schedule and see how he does starting with the Lakers and then kind of go from there,” said the Mavs Summer Coach Broghamer. But Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd didn’t shy away from expectations. 

For Cooper, the road ahead in Texas isn’t going to be butter. He has a coach who has put his expectations straight on the introductory press day itself. “I want to put him at the point guard. I want to make him uncomfortable and see how he reacts — being able to run the show. Being able to play the two, play the three — he’s comfortable doing that, but I want to push [him], and I think he’s going to respond in a positive way. It’s alright to fail. It’s alright to turn the ball over. I’m excited to give him the ball against the Lakers and see what happens. Let’s get it started and see what happens.”

At 6-foot-9, Flagg’s court vision, passing instincts, and IQ are already being trusted to run NBA-level sets. His college stat line at Duke, 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, was elite. Now he’s being fast-tracked to NBA responsibility. The Mavs are testing him everywhere: with the ball, off it, defending bigs, guarding wings, initiating actions. And there’s no easing into this league, not with Bronny James on the other side of the floor.

For Bronny, the spotlight, besides criticism, is constant, and it is expected when your father is LeBron James. But to his credit, the younger James is beginning to earn attention on his own name. His 10-point showing on Sunday, including that explosive dunk, lit up social media. But Thursday’s game feels like a referendum. Is Bronny more than a famous name? Can Flagg carry a franchise’s hopes? Do let us know in the comments below.