Cooper Flagg, selected as the No. 1 overall pick, will make his NBA debut with the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, where they will face Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2K26 Summer League action. This highly anticipated game brings together Flagg, regarded as one of the most promising prospects in recent basketball history, and Bronny James, son of LeBron James, who is looking to build on his rookie year experience.

Flagg stands out as a 6-foot-9 forward weighing 205 pounds, whose impressive season led Duke University to the Final Four and earned him consensus player of the year honors. Now, he is poised to spearhead the Mavericks’ future after the team traded away Luka Doncic last season. Meanwhile, Bronny James enters the game with lessons learned from a challenging rookie season with the Lakers where he averaged 2.3 points with limited playing time, but showed significant improvement in the G League, averaging nearly 22 points per game.

Supporting Players Add Depth to Dallas and Los Angeles Rosters

The Mavericks’ Summer League squad also includes Ryan Nembhard, a former Gonzaga standout who led Division I in assists per game last season with 9.8. Despite going undrafted, Nembhard signed a two-way contract with Dallas, hoping to make an impact alongside Flagg. For the Lakers, the roster features second-year wing Dalton Knecht, who averaged 9.1 points during a full 78-game season but struggled defensively, which limited his minutes. Knecht’s recent performance in the California Classic was strong, scoring 25 points and grabbing eight rebounds to help LA edge past the Spurs 89-88.

The Flagg-James duel is the centerpiece of an eventful sports schedule on Thursday that also includes extensive MLB and WNBA action, signaling a day packed with competitive basketball and baseball events drawing significant fan attention.

Key MLB Games and Predictions for Thursday’s Matchups

The Major League Baseball slate on Thursday features multiple important games, including the Mariners facing the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees, looking to complete a three-game sweep of this AL playoff contender, have won the first two games by margins of 10-3 and 9-6, respectively. New York’s starting pitcher will be Marcus Stroman, a seasoned 34-year-old right-hander with a 1-1 record and a 7.45 ERA. He will oppose Bryan Woo, an All-Star pitcher for Seattle boasting an 8-4 record and 2.77 ERA. SportsLine’s projection model favors the Yankees with a 54% win probability.

In Boston, the Red Sox host the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park in a four-game series opener. Boston has been on a tear with six consecutive wins, including back-to-back series sweeps over the Nationals and Rockies, outscoring opponents 56-16 during this streak. Boston’s Walker Buehler, with a 6-6 record and 6.25 ERA, will take the mound against Rays’ Taj Bradley, who enters with a 5-6 record and 4.79 ERA. The model indicates the Red Sox have a 65% chance of covering the run line, with additional expert insight highlighting Jonathan Aranda as a potential home run threat.

The National League West rivalry between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Diego Padres concludes its four-game series Thursday at Petco Park. The Diamondbacks won two games in the series while the Padres claimed one. San Diego holds third place in the division, trailing the Dodgers by six games, while Arizona sits 9½ games back in fourth. The pitching duel features Padres’ Randy Vásquez and Diamondbacks’ Eduardo Rodriguez. Though the model slightly favors San Diego, it assigns a lower confidence grade for the Diamondbacks’ money line.

Other MLB recommended bets include supporting the Athletics on the money line and top player prop bets such as Wyatt Langford’s home run potential, which experts have spotlighted as a promising wager.

WNBA Playoff Contenders Face Off, with Key Players in Question

The Washington Mystics will take on the Las Vegas Aces at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia, in a contest pivotal for both franchises’ playoff hopes. Both teams are tied for seventh place, fighting for one of the final postseason spots. The Aces may face a significant handicap if A’ja Wilson, a three-time league MVP averaging 20.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, is unable to play due to a wrist injury sustained recently. This contest marks the end of the Aces’ rigorous five-game road trip.

“These are the spots that the travel fatigue tends to catch up to teams,” —Calvin Wetzel and Aaron Barzilai, WNBA Experts

Other WNBA picks include favoring the Minnesota Lynx by six points and betting under on the first half of the Lynx-Sparks game, emphasizing close defense and pace control strategies.

Implications of the Bronny James vs. Cooper Flagg Summer League Game

This game between Flagg and Bronny James represents much more than a simple Summer League matchup; it is a symbolic passing of the torch and a glimpse into the league’s future. Flagg’s arrival as a top pick carries the hopes of the Dallas Mavericks to reshape their franchise after Luka Doncic’s departure, while Bronny James continues to navigate the pressures of carving out his own NBA identity under the weight of his legendary father’s legacy.

How both players perform could influence their teams’ Summer League momentum and shape their opportunities for the upcoming NBA season. Moreover, the spotlight on these two players is likely to elevate the attention on the Summer League, reinforcing its role as a proving ground for future NBA stars.

Our Reader’s Queries

Q. Did Bronny James score 30 points?

A. He has scored an average of 2.3 points per game and played 5.9 minutes in 23 games with the Lakers. In the South Bay game, Bronny reached his highest score of 31 points in a 122-110 victory against Rip City Remix on January 24. In the G League, he has averaged 22.4 points across 10 games.

Q. Did Bronny James have 47 points?

A. Catch Bronny James’ amazing 47-point game in the G League. He played alongside the Lakers in an exciting Los Angeles basketball matchup.

Q. Has Bronny James ever scored 25 points in a game?

A. During his first home game on November 30, he scored 25 points, helping his team win 77–61 against Crossroads School.

Q. Did Bronny James score 39 points?

A. Bronny James scored 39 points, helping the South Bay Lakers defeat the Santa Cruz Warriors.