The 2025 NBA Draft took place on Thursday night, which means the start of summer league is just around the corner for the Los Angeles Lakers.
As has been the case for the last few years, the Lakers will play in both the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer Leagues.
The team did not have a first-round draft pick this year, but there still will be plenty of intrigue surrounding their second round selection Adou Thiero, as well as two-way and undrafted players. Additionally, the expectation is for Bronny James to suit up for the Lakers in Las Vegas.
To no surprise, the league is capitalizing on Bronny’s presence as they announced that the Lakers will kick off the Las Vegas Summer League against top pick Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks:
📢 #NBA Programming Update:
July 10, @ESPNNBA will present an @NBASummerLeague doubleheader ft. the Mavericks debut of @Cooper_Flagg against the Lakers & Bronny James⁰
🏀 8p ET | @dallasmavs vs @Lakers
🏀 10p ET | @spurs vs @sixers pic.twitter.com/XwQ1lbCoUv— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) June 27, 2025
This game is scheduled for Thursday, July 10, which is a day earlier than when the Lakers typically open up Las Vegas Summer League play.
Flagg and the Mavericks will certainly be a good test for the Lakers, who lost their first two games in Las Vegas last year before closing it out with three straight wins.
James, in particular, has made a lot of progress since then, so it will be fun to see how he looks going into his second NBA season. There’s no doubt that the Lakers fans will be on hand to watch as Las Vegas is like a second home for the purple and gold.
Lakers star LeBron James has high expectations for Cooper Flagg
Lakers star LeBron James will be rooting for Bronny and the Lakers during Summer League, but he also has high expectations for Cooper Flagg in the NBA.
“I personally think that he wants to be great. He had a hell of a year at Duke,” James said of Flagg. “A guy that can do so many different things on the floor, can play with the ball, can play without the ball. His jump shot is going to continue to get better. Super athletic, quick second jump and also he has the benefit, unlike myself, he gets to join a team that’s established with Hall of Fame guys. Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving right off the bat. Hall of Fame coach Jason Kidd.
“These guys can give him the whole blueprint while he continues to learn what his blueprint will be and I think that’s going to be an incredible thing for him to have. That type of presence, that type of leadership, that type of just basketball IQ and knowledge around him every single day from those pieces. So I think he’s going to be amazing.”
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