Cooper Flagg: A Rising Star in the NBA
Cooper Flagg is quickly establishing himself as the cornerstone of the Dallas Mavericks, demonstrating his immense talent at just 18 years old. In a thrilling game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Flagg scored an impressive 35 points, becoming only the second player in NBA history to achieve such a feat at his age, alongside none other than LeBron James. Flagg accomplished this at 18 years and 343 days, while James set his record at 18 years and 334 days. Remarkably, Flagg is now the sole player to have scored 35 points at such a young age, finishing the game with a shooting line of 13-of-22, plus contributing eight rebounds and two assists to secure a 114-110 victory for the Mavericks.
Record-Breaking Performances
This milestone moment comes on the heels of yet another record as Flagg became the youngest player ever to register 10 assists in a single game just a day prior, doing so against the Los Angeles Lakers and James, who is widely regarded as one of the game’s greats. The Mavericks are now under renewed pressure to cultivate Flagg into a star player following the dismissal of general manager Nico Harrison, which indicated that the recent trade involving Luka Dončić and Anthony Davis was not a successful move and pointed to future challenges for the franchise.
Focus on Development
Currently standing at a difficult 6-15 record, the Mavericks are focusing their efforts on Flagg’s development. They were fortunate to draft him last spring after winning the lottery, a rare opportunity that could define their trajectory much like James did for other franchises years ago. Initially, Flagg’s role as the starting point guard came amidst a lack of experienced guards on the team as they aimed for contention this season, a task complicated for any rookie, especially one still in his teens.
Early Career Challenges
Early in his career, Flagg faced the challenges typical of an 18-year-old in such a demanding role, averaging 13.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.0 assists, with a shooting percentage of 40.3% from the field and a disappointing 27.3% from beyond the arc. However, his performance has shown marked improvement over the following ten games, where he has upped his scoring to 19.5 points per game while maintaining solid rebounding and assist numbers, and shooting 51.3% from the field along with a 23.7% success rate from three.
A Unique Path to the NBA
The journey to the NBA for Flagg began with his decision to reclassify in high school, allowing him to start at Duke as a 17-year-old. This unique path is rare and places him in an exclusive category, reminiscent of the early career of LeBron James, as Flagg continues to impress as a versatile player who has the potential to excel in the league.
