Flagg surpasses LeBron: New points record for young NBA prospect

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Cooper Flagg has written a page in basketball history, leaving an indelible mark in the two consecutive games of the Dallas Mavericks against the Los Angeles teams. On Friday night, Flagg showcased his passing ability by dishing out 11 assists, the most for an 18-year-old player, in the loss to the Lakers. Just 24 hours later, Flagg became the youngest player to score 35 points in a game, an even more significant achievement as he led an injury-depleted Dallas team to a 114-110 victory over the Los Clippers at the Intuit Dome.

“He’s only 18 years old, but it seems like he’s been in this league for a long time,” said Mavs coach Jason Kidd. “He did everything tonight. He had the ball. You can call him a point guard or whatever you want, but he ran the offense for us. He drove the ball, it got to the paint, he got to the rim, he went to the free throw line and made free throws for us at the end. His composure on both ends was impressive. He competes at a very high level. You saw it tonight, but you also saw it last night.”

Jason Kidd, Mavericks Coach

LeBron James is the other 18-year-old player who has managed to score 35 points in an NBA game, which he did twice during his rookie season with the Cleveland Cavaliers in December 2023. James’ first 35-point game occurred when he was 18 years and 348 days old, five days older than Flagg on Saturday night. The highlight of Flagg’s historic night was a spectacular dunk with two hands over the Clippers’ center, Ivica Zubac, an All-Defensive selection from last season. Flagg relentlessly attacked the basket throughout the game, with 13 of 22 field goals and eight baskets within three meters of the hoop.

“Being aggressive right now is the right thing for me, and that’s what the coach has emphasized to me,” said Flagg, who also had eight rebounds and two assists in 38 minutes. “I have to be aggressive, and we’ll live with some mistakes, but you just have to be aggressive and trust all the work. My teammates trust me a lot, and I feel it. And when they trust me, it allows me to be free on the court.”

Cooper Flagg, Mavericks PlayerFlagg, who had struggled in the second night of his previous back-to-back games, started the game strong, scoring 12 points in the first quarter and 21 in the first half. He also finished the game with determination, keeping his composure after a couple of costly turnovers in the final quarter to score eight points in the final 2 minutes and 47 seconds.

“Cooper’s potential is unlimited,” said Mavs guard Klay Thompson. “He has all the tools to be great. Sometimes I can’t believe he’s supposed to be a freshman in college.”

Klay Thompson, Mavericks Guard

It was Flagg’s most veteran teammate, 35-year-old Thompson, who made sure the rookie, the first draft pick, had the opportunity to close out the game against the Clippers. Thompson scored 17 of his 23 points in the final quarter, the same streak that made him famous while shining on four championship teams with the Golden State Warriors. Thompson, who was briefly listed as out due to right knee discomfort on Saturday’s official injury report before changing his mind after swimming in the ocean, made 6 of 8 field goals and 4 of 6 three-pointers in the final quarter. His 28-foot shot with 1:52 remaining gave the Mavs the final lead.

“It was a relief,” Thompson said. “I haven’t shot the ball well in these first 20 games, at least not to my standards. So when you have a night like that after the difficult start we’ve had, it just gives you relief to keep going. It really inspires me to be on the court as much as I can.”

Klay Thompson, Mavericks Guard

It’s been a tough start for Thompson and the Mavs, with a 6-15 record, who received more bad news a few minutes before tip-off when starting forward P.J. Washington fell on a basketball and twisted his right ankle. Washington joined Kyrie Irving (knee surgery), Anthony Davis (calf injury management), Daniel Gafford (ankle injury management), and Dereck Lively II (foot) as key Mavs players who were unavailable against the Clippers. Despite the bad luck the Mavs have had, they got incredibly lucky when they got Flagg by winning the draft lottery despite only having a 1.8% chance.

“It’s great to be a part of this,” Thompson said, referring to the start of Flagg’s career. “We can all witness what he’s going to do for a long time.”

Klay Thompson, Mavericks Guard