NBA 2K26 Summer League: Mavs Win as Cooper Flagg Makes Pro Debut
Cooper Flagg's highly anticipated professional debut saw him struggle with his shooting touch, but it was undrafted rookie Andrew Nembhard who stole the spotlight. Nembhard delivered an impressive performance to help lead the Dallas Mavericks to a victory over Los Angeles in the NBA 2K26 Summer League opener.
NBA 2K26 Summer League: Nembhard, Kelly Lead Mavs Past Lakers in Cooper Flagg's Debut
LAS VEGAS — While all eyes were on No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, it was the undrafted rookie duo of Ryan Nembhard and Miles Kelly who stole the show, combining for 38 points to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a thrilling 87-85 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in NBA 2K26 Summer League action Thursday at the Thomas & Mack Center.
The most anticipated matchup of opening day featured both Flagg and Bronny James, but neither made much of an impact in a sluggish first quarter that ended with just 36 total points scored.
The Lakers held a narrow 47-43 halftime lead, but Dallas surged ahead in the third quarter with strong play on both ends of the court. Flagg’s tough night continued down the stretch—he missed a pull-up jumper badly with 19 seconds left, finishing 5-of-21 from the field. Still, the Mavs held on, as James misfired on a deep 3-pointer with three seconds to play, followed by an unsuccessful inbounds attempt with just 0.2 seconds remaining.
Cole Swider led the Lakers with a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double, shooting 66.7% from beyond the arc. Dalton Knecht added 15 points, while DJ Steward posted a well-rounded line with 14 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. James and Darius Bazley chipped in with eight points apiece, with Bazley also grabbing 11 boards.
For Dallas, Nembhard finished with a team-high 21 points, along with five assists, two rebounds, and a steal. Kelly contributed 17 points, four rebounds, and two assists. Despite his shooting struggles, Flagg added value across the board with 10 points, six rebounds, four assists, three steals, and a block in his pro debut.
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