Oct 22, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) dribbles as San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) defends during the first quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Cooper Flagg made his long-awaited debut on Wednesday, registering a double-double in a contest that saw the No. 1 pick and the Dallas Mavericks struggle to generate offense.

Flagg produced 10 points, 10 rebounds and one steal in a 125-92 loss to Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs at American Airlines Center. He finished by going 4-of-13 from the field in 31 minutes as the starting point guard.

The 18-year-old, who became the second-youngest player to start in a debut game, went scoreless in the first half before recording eight points in the third quarter. By that point, though, the Spurs had built a 21-point lead, thanks to a 40-point, 15-rebound effort from Wembanyama.

"I thought Cooper played within himself," coach Jason Kidd said. "He took what the defense gave him. He was making plays. He was diving on the floor. He is one that is not going to go out here and just shoot every time he touches it; he tries to play the game the right way, and I thought he did that in the first half. I thought he was comfortable and came out there in the third and started to look to be aggressive to take some shots that he knocked down."

Flagg was touted as a generational prospect out of Duke, one who arrived in the NBA with as much hype as players like LeBron James and Wembanyama. Though uneven, Flagg showcased why he was the prized pick in the draft in a small sample size.

The 6-foot-8 forward scored his first points on a mid-range jumper, curling around a screen set by Dereck Lively II. He also used his size to work in the post and displayed his ability to drive into the paint and finish at the rim through contact.

Said Flagg of his performance: "Not great. Obviously, didn't play incredibly well, but I gotta move past it and turn our focus to start getting ready for Friday (against Washington)."

After striking gold in the lottery, the Mavericks were ecstatic to have the chance to draft Flagg. The organization believed it was the perfect situation for him, with a strong supporting cast around him, both on the roster and within the front office.

From Anthony Davis to Kyrie Irving to Lively, the team has helped Flagg feel as comfortable as possible with the heightened expectations placed upon him this season. He is grateful for their support and is eager to move forward with his debut out of the way.

"I'm excited to keep going," Flagg said. "Obviously, it hurts, the first loss being like that, but I'm trying to look forward to the next one, turn the page and get ready. We know we got to be a lot better than that so, just staying positive, staying ready and just being locked in on the next one."

This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg opens up about NBA debut: 'Not great'

Reporting by Cody Taylor, Rookie Wire / Rookie Wire

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