LAS VEGAS — The top two selections in the 2025 NBA draft went head-to-head on Saturday during the NBA summer league, giving fans a glimpse of what to expect next season as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Dallas Mavericks 76-69.
The No. 1 pick, Cooper Flagg, scored an impressive 31 points with a shooting percentage of 10-of-21, showcasing several exciting dunks throughout the game. Meanwhile, No. 2 pick Dylan Harper made his summer league debut after missing previous games due to a minor groin injury and contributed 16 points in just 20 minutes of play.
“There’s no better time to come back than in a game like this with such an electrifying crowd,” Harper said. “He had a great game. I had a great game. We really showed the NBA world what we can do.”
In front of a packed audience at Thomas & Mack Center that included current players, former NBA stars, and celebrities like comedian Cedric the Entertainer and actor Jason Sudeikis, Harper scored the game’s first points just 45 seconds in with a drive to the basket. Both Flagg and Harper started slowly, each making only 1 out of their first 4 shots in the opening quarter while San Antonio took a 21-11 lead.
However, fans jumped to their feet when the two top picks faced off one-on-one with just 4.1 seconds left in the first quarter. Harper attempted a 24-foot step-back jumper but missed as Flagg defended him closely.
On offense, Flagg faced challenges when Spurs player Carter Bryant (the 14th pick in the 2025 NBA draft) defended him. Many believe Bryant will become one of San Antonio’s best defenders. Despite this, Flagg still made it to the foul line several times and scored 8 out of 13 free throws.
“I think it’s a new environment and setting,” Flagg said. “They want me to be more aggressive and play that way. I feel like I did a better job today by getting to the line, drawing fouls, and that helped me feel comfortable right from the start. However, I still missed quite a few free throws. I’m sure my mom wasn’t too happy about that.”
Flagg delivered his most impressive performance during the final 30.3 seconds of the third quarter. He overcame full-court pressure to make a driving layup, bringing Dallas within 10 points (57-47). Then, he executed a powerful dunk over San Antonio’s Riley Minix and blocked Minix’s halfcourt shot just before the buzzer.
“He keeps making the right decisions,” said Mavericks summer league coach Josh Broghamer. “Whether it’s driving past the guy defending him or using him more as a roller and off the ball at times to help him get easier catches instead of working so hard to bring the ball up, he always makes great plays, which is wonderful to see.”
One of Harper’s standout moments happened with 1:04 remaining in the second quarter when he soared in for an impressive block on Ryan Nembhard at the basket. This play excited Spurs teammates Victor Wembanyama and Keldon Johnson, who jumped from their seats as the crowd at Thomas & Mack Center erupted.
“[Harper] played really well, and you could feel his impact,” said Spurs summer league coach Mike Noyes. “His time on the court was a bit short since he hasn’t played in a while, so we managed that carefully. When he was out there, he played hard and made good plays.”
Harper ended the second quarter with an and-1 finish on a 10-foot floater while Flagg was guarding him. He made the free throw afterward, giving San Antonio a 33-32 lead at halftime.
Harper finished with 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, while Flagg recorded 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block.
“We’ll be facing them many times this year,” Harper mentioned about Flagg and the Mavericks. “The upcoming matches are going to be exciting. One thing we both share is our competitive spirit. We’re ready to go out there and give it our all.”
