Victor Wembanyama dominates Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, who was almost invisible early in his NBA debut Ryan Young October 23, 2025 at 6:19 AM 0 As it turns out, a few years in the NBA makes a big difference.
- - Victor Wembanyama dominates Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, who was almost invisible early in his NBA debut
Ryan Young October 23, 2025 at 6:19 AM
0
As it turns out, a few years in the NBA makes a big difference.
Victor Wembanyama went off on Wednesday night to officially kick off his third campaign in the league, and he completely spoiled the debut of a fellow No. 1 overall pick in the process. Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs rolled to a commanding 125-92 win over Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center to start their season 1-0.
Wembanyama finished with 40 points and 15 rebounds in the win. It was the fifth 40-point game of his career. He had 21 points before halftime, all without hitting a 3-pointer, and he threw down an absolutely ridiculous dunk late in the second quarter to remind everyone just how good he is after his second season was cut short due to a blood clot.
WEMBY. IS. UNBELIEVABLE."A figment of our basketball imaginations!" pic.twitter.com/78KZQ5XpUm
— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2025
That helped power the Spurs to a nine-point lead at halftime.
Flagg, on the other hand, struggled in his first real NBA game. The 18-year-old former Duke star, who the Mavericks took with the top pick in the draft earlier this summer after their stunning victory in the NBA Draft lottery, was held scoreless in the first 24 minutes. He went just 0-of-2 from the field in the first half with six rebounds. He was thrown into the starting lineup as Dallas' point guard, too, as they are still waiting for Kyrie Irving to return from an ACL injury he sustained last season.
Flagg finally scored the first bucket of his NBA career right away in the second half. The Mavericks set up an easy shot for him at the top of the key, and he sank it.
COOPER FLAGG SCORES HIS FIRST NBA POINTS 🙌(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/6KZRpvkFIV
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) October 23, 2025
But Wembanyama blocked him at the rim on their next drive, and then he hit a ridiculous and-one 3-pointer a few possessions later to keep the Spurs in full control. Wembanyama's play came after he blocked Dereck Lively, who he sank the 3-pointer over, at the other end with ease.
Absolutely ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/9dv2IudUan https://t.co/XYQNjGWJgi
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) October 23, 2025
While Flagg got up to eight points by the end of the period, the Spurs still entered the fourth quarter with a 21-point advantage. Wembanyama came back into the game to start the final period, and he threw down a long dunk just strolling through the lane right away before pushing them to the 23-point win. Nobody, not Flagg or even Mavericks veteran Anthony Davis, could do anything to stop him.
Flagg ended up finishing with a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, and he shot just 4-of-13 from the field. Davis had 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Mavericks, while P.J. Washington added 17.
Stephon Castle added 22 points and seven rebounds for the Spurs to go along with Wembanyama's 40-piece. Devin Fassell finished with 13 points, too. The Spurs went just 6-of-17 from deep as a team.
Flagg will undoubtedly play a major role for the Mavericks this season. The franchise is clearly hoping he's their guy for the foreseeable future, too — especially following the backlash the front office received after trading away superstar Luka Doncic last season. But if Wednesday's game was any indication, the youngest player in the league has some work to do to get there.
Wembanyama, on the other hand, looked like he was making up for lost time.
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Thu, October 23, 2025 at 2:00 AM GMT+2Jack Baer
Thu, October 23, 2025 at 6:14 AM GMT+2Ryan YoungFinal: Spurs 125, Mavericks 92
Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs completely spoiled Cooper Flagg's NBA debut tonight in Dallas.
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 6:04 AM GMT+2Ryan YoungWembanyama's night is done
This was the fifth 40-point night of Wembanyama's career.
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 6:00 AM GMT+2Ryan Young
WHAT. A. BATTLE.The Kings rejection... the Suns alley-oop.Phoenix has cut a 17-point 3Q deficit to just 2 entering the final period👀 pic.twitter.com/G0118VN4wK
— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2025
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 5:56 AM GMT+2Ryan Young
Anthony Davis, of all people, looks helpless out there.
He has been making Anthony Davis look like a camp kid for the last two hours. Anthony Davis. pic.twitter.com/Sy9C8jTsoz
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) October 23, 2025
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 5:48 AM GMT+2Ryan Young
Flagg is up to eight points now, and closing in on a double-double. The Spurs, though, are up by 21 as we enter the final period. This one is about over.
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 5:34 AM GMT+2Jack BaerJazz roll over Clippers
After nearly two months of scandal around an alleged no-show job for Kawhi Leonard, the Los Angeles Clippers finally got the chance to shake off the looming NBA investigation and play some basketball on Wednesday.
And then they no-showed like they got paid for it.
In the most shocking result of the NBA's opening slate of games, the Clippers got blown out 129-108 by the Utah Jazz, a team that was tied for the worst title odds in the league entering the season. Disastrous doesn't begin to describe how this looks for them.
The Jazz just DOMINATED the Clippers 😳 pic.twitter.com/4UbXzA1Iar
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) October 23, 2025
For more on the Clippers' season-opener, click here.
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 5:24 AM GMT+2Ryan Young
Wemby just bodied Dereck Lively on both ends. This is incredible
Absolutely ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/9dv2IudUan https://t.co/XYQNjGWJgi
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) October 23, 2025
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 5:20 AM GMT+2Ryan YoungCooper Flagg finally on the board
Finally, Cooper Flagg has scored in the NBA.
The Mavericks set Flagg up with an easy bucket from the top of the key right away in the third quarter, and he sank it.
Cooper Flagg scores his first NBA points in the 3rd 💪pic.twitter.com/MAE9avgmS4
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) October 23, 2025
Wembanyama blocked him at the rim on their next drive, though.
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 5:17 AM GMT+2Ryan Young
Kings lead the Suns 71-54 at halftime.Zach LaVine: 22 points, 9/13 FGDeMar DeRozan: 14 points, 6/7 FGMalik Monk: 13 points, 5/6 FGKings: 64% FG / 53% 3PT / 66 % FTSuns: 39 % FG / 17% 3PT / 53% FTKings: 8 steals, 7 blocks, 15 points on 9 Suns TOs
— Matt George (@MattGeorgeSAC) October 23, 2025
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 5:01 AM GMT+2Ryan Young
Cooper Flagg has only attempted two shots tonight.
Cooper Flagg in the first half of his NBA debut:▪️ 0 PTS▪️ 6 REB▪️ 0 ASTThe Mavs trail the Spurs 60-51 at the half. pic.twitter.com/X4qkUlEXbu
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) October 23, 2025
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 5:00 AM GMT+2Ryan YoungHalftime: Spurs 60, Mavericks 51
Victor Wembanyama is dominating so far tonight. He's up to 21 points and eight rebounds in the first half, while Cooper Flagg is still scoreless.
WEMBY. IS. UNBELIEVABLE."A figment of our basketball imaginations!" pic.twitter.com/78KZQ5XpUm
— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2025
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 4:53 AM GMT+2Ryan YoungMY GOD WEMBY
Yeah, Victor Wembanyama is back to his old self. This and-one dunk was absurd.
?????????????????????????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/JwfzowM9Gj
— Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) October 23, 2025
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 4:38 AM GMT+2Ryan YoungWembanyama with the reverse dunk!
Wemby is absolutely dominating so far tonight in Dallas
2024 Kia ROY lob.2023 Kia ROY jam.Castle & Wemby connecting on opening night! pic.twitter.com/IkBpEJec3N
— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2025
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 4:29 AM GMT+2
The 31-point halftime deficit is the largest the LA Clippers have faced in a game since Jan. 5, 2023.
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) October 23, 2025
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 4:27 AM GMT+2
FINAL: Bucks 133, Wizards 120- Antetokounmpo 37pts/14reb/5ast- Trent 17pts/4reb- Kuzma 12pts/4reb/3ast- Turner 11pts/8reb/5ast/3blk- Green 11pts/2reb- Prince 11pts/2ast- Porter 10pts/2rebThe Bucks are 1-0. They play next on Friday in Toronto.
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) October 23, 2025
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 4:23 AM GMT+2Ryan YoungEnd of 1: Mavericks 29, Spurs 28
Cooper Flagg has yet to score tonight, but he's got a rebound and a steal after the first 12 minutes ... so that's something.
Victor Wembanyama, on the other hand, is already up to 11 points with a wild dunk.
AIR WEMBY 🔥 (📸: Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) pic.twitter.com/dXyN5OIbDR
— ESPN (@espn) October 23, 2025
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 4:23 AM GMT+2
What a performance by the rookie in his #NBA debut. He has 17 pts in only 17 min off the bench https://t.co/uzsKUtVy4F
— Jim Eichenhofer (@Jim_Eichenhofer) October 23, 2025
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 4:16 AM GMT+2Maybe Kawhi Leonard is at his other job
Halftime: Jazz 78, Clippers 47. Clippers "trimmed" it to 20, and then Utah ended the quarter on an 11-0 run. Clippers are shooting 46%. Jazz are at 71%. Utah has made 12 3s. They're 16-for-18 on 2s.
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) October 23, 2025
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 4:12 AM GMT+2Ryan YoungVJ Edgecombe's historic debut
VJ Edgecombe not only broke LeBron James' first-quarter record, but his 34 points are the third-most a player has scored in their NBA debut in league history.
For more on Edgecombe's debut, click here.
- Thu, October 23, 2025 at 4:00 AM GMT+2Ryan Young
Victor Wembanyama is up to six points already, and has a massive dunk in the opening minutes tonight in Dallas.
Kidd said the main reason he likes the bigger starting lineup is for defensive purposes. Well, San Antonio is shooting 71.4%, although the subs have been filtering in the past couple of minutes.
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) October 23, 2025
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