Patryk Stachowiak
Cooper Flagg lit up the NBA Summer League in just his second outing with the Dallas Mavericks, putting up an impressive 31 points on 10-of-21 shooting. The No. 1 overall pick showed off a diverse scoring arsenal mid-range pull-ups, aggressive drives, and confident perimeter looks that had fans buzzing about his potential.
But amid the highlight reel, one stat line stood out and not in a good way. Flagg hit just 8-of-13 from the free-throw line, a blemish that didn’t escape his own sharp critique.
Kelly Flagg. Source: thespun.com
“I got to the line a little bit better today,”
Flagg said post-game.
“Still missed a bunch of free throws. I know my mom probably wasn’t very happy with that.”
That “mom” in question is Kelly Flagg who has never been shy about her expectations. Back in March, she told FOX Sports:
“More than anything, it’s free throws. That really eats at me. There’s no excuse for missing a free throw. I don’t care. It’s free for a reason. He’s shot a million of them so he should never miss any.”
She has a point. At Duke, Flagg was an 84% shooter from the line on significant volume, a mark that suggests his NBA struggles are likely temporary. Still, missing five freebies in a single Summer League outing? That’s a stat line moms and betting punters will notice.
For now, Flagg’s scoring instincts and poise under pressure are stealing headlines. But if he wants to silence his toughest critic and tighten up those betting props he’ll need to make those “free” points count.