Mavericks' Cooper Flagg achieves a basketball milestone, a feat previously accomplished in the NBA solely by LeBron James.

Billy Heyen

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Mavericks' Cooper Flagg makes basketball history only ever done before in NBA by LeBron James image

TL;DR

  • Cooper Flagg scored 35 points leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 114-110 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
  • Flagg became the second player ever to score 30+ points before age 19, joining LeBron James.
  • He is the youngest participant in his draft pool and second youngest first overall pick.
  • Flagg is averaging 15.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists as a rookie.

Cooper Flagg hasn't had an entirely spotless start to his NBA career.

However, the Dallas Mavericks' top selection has experienced numerous instances demonstrating he'll become a genuine star in this league.

The latest came Saturday night.

In the Los Angeles Clippers, Flagg scored 35 points, leading his team to a 114-110 victory. His shooting performance included 13 successful shots out of 22 attempts from the field and 9 successful free throws out of 11 attempts.

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Flagg added eight rebounds and two assists in the victory, playing a team-high 38 minutes.

According to the NBA's official social media accounts, Flagg achieved a remarkable feat, becoming the second player ever to record at least 30 points in a game before reaching the age of 19. Who was the first to accomplish this? LeBron James.

Flagg will turn 19 on Dec. 21.

This was among the most overlooked aspects of Flagg's profile leading up to the NBA Draft in June. He was universally projected as the top selection anyway, but he also held the distinction of being the youngest participant in his entire draft pool, and the second youngest player ever to be chosen first overall, trailing only James, whose birthdate falls about ten days after Flagg's in late December.

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As a rookie, Flagg is currently posting averages of 15.7 points, 6.5 boards, and 3.5 dimes each contest. The Mavs have progressively discovered effective ways to integrate him into their strategy throughout the season.

There will still be growing pains, as there are for any young player.

However, the truth is that Flagg appears to have gained insight and skill with every game he plays, from one contest to the next. When you add this to his considerable talent, it creates a potent mix that could present significant challenges for opposing teams.

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Editorial Team