Cooper Flagg and Bronny James understood the stage they were on.

They were the headliners of the opening night of NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, and in one second-quarter sequence, Flagg decided to try and back down Bronny. The crowd was ready.

On the first attempt, Bronny ended up fouling Flagg, so the Mavericks had the ball to inbound on the sideline. The ESPN cameras zoomed in on the Lakers' second-year guard and the Dallas No. 1 overall pick having a quick conversation.

Social media quickly sprung into action, imagining what might have been said.

MORE: Bronny James' last-shot decision let the Mavs off the hook

Did Cooper Flagg tell Bronny James that LeBron can't save him?

No, that does not seem like it's what Cooper Flagg told Bronny James.

Technically, he could've whispered something rude while his mouth wasn't in view of the camera for lip readers, but those words almost certainly weren't it.

The idea came from NBA Centel, a parody account on X that doesn't actually share truthful information. Their post has been viewed more than a million times.

Cooper Flagg to Bronny:

“LeBron can’t save you now.” 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/Um0BKfDMUt

— NBACentel (@TheNBACentel) July 11, 2025

No matter what Flagg said, he got a pair of last laughs. First, he drilled a jumper in Bronny's face. And then, he got the win.

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