"Dear, NBA,
Welcome to the Cooper Flagg show.
Sincerely, Duke fans"
Last night, Duke legend Cooper Flagg had his NBA debut as he and the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers.
With 10 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals, and one block, Flagg was virtually unstoppable on either end of the court. However, one stat line made Flagg's success that much better.
On the other side of the court, former North Carolina guard RJ Davis suited up for the Lakers, and the Tar Heel struggled... mightily.
RJ Davis flounders in NBA Summer League debut
Davis came off the bench (while Flagg earned the start) and only had seven minutes on the court. He shot 1-of-4, including an embarrassing missed layup that went over the backboard, for just three points.
The best part? With the Mavs' win over the Lakers, Flagg cemented his dominance over Davis, improving his record to 4-0 against the former Tar Heel.
Flagg wasn't the only Blue Devil in action on Thursday night as shooting guard DJ Steward, who went undrafted in 2021 and has spent a lot of time in the NBA G-League, suited up for Los Angeles.
Steward clocked in for 26 minutes, producing 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals for the Lakers. Out of his teammates, the former Duke guard was only outscored by Cole Swider and former Tennessee star Dalton Knecht.
Also notably, Duke legend Tyrese Proctor had his NBA debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers, earning the start and playing for an impressive 28 minutes. He earned 14 points, two assists, two steals, and one rebound in the Cavs' loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Flagg and the Lakers will be back in action on Saturday, July 12, when they play the New Orleans Pelicans. The game is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN2 and ESPN+.