It was Cooper Flagg, the arguably top high school prospect in the world, who stole the show this past weekend. He became the youngest player in NBA history to score 35 points in a game! Flagg completed this incredible trifecta on Tuesday night in an exhilarating 114-110 win over the Los Angeles Clippers at the Intuit Dome. He achieved a remarkable thing by breaking a record that was once held by NBA legend LeBron James. LeBron established that threshold in his rookie season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Flagg put on a scoring display in consecutive games against the California teams. He opened the game against the Clippers strong, scoring 12 points in the first quarter. By the end of the first half, he had scored 21 points, proving himself to stars shine brightest in pressure-filled scenarios.
Flagg had a hard fought final game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Still, he had a historic accomplishment by putting up 11 assists, the most ever for an 18-year-old in NBA history. However, brilliant his playmaking was, the Mavericks were not reduced to one man’s and they came up short in that game.
LeBron James is the only other 18-year-old to reach the 35-point milestone. James did this feat twice, once in December 2003, scoring 35 points at the age of 18 years and 348 days. Given that Flagg set this record at only 18 years and 343 days old, Flagg’s achievement becomes even more impressive.
Flagg didn’t panic even with a series of costly fourth quarter turnovers against the Clippers. He capped his hot streak by scoring eight points in the final two minutes and 47 seconds to put away the game. This important segment proved to be the secret weapon that brought home victory for the Mavericks.
Deliberate, mature, Chris has our respect and we were going under the basket, he scored the bucket. Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd.
“He’s only 18 years old, but he seems like he’s been in this league before.” – Jason Kidd
Kidd emphasized Flagg’s poise to remain composed and execute critical plays under the highest-pressure moments. When pressed, the young player turned philosophical, discussing how his work ethic has shaped his approach to the game and what’s propelled him to success thus far.
“Being aggressive right now is obviously right for me, and that’s what Coach has stressed to me.” – Cooper Flagg
Even Golden State Warriors veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson, impressed by Flagg’s record-winning accolades, spoke out.
“It’s pretty cool to be a part of it.” – Klay Thompson
As he continues to evolve as a player, Cooper Flagg’s blend of skill and poise is drawing attention across the league. His greatness despite his young age is already vividly apparent. That bodes well not only for him, but for the future of the Dallas Mavericks as well.
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