Cooper Flagg Makes NBA History With Performance Against Jazz

Cooper Flagg came into the NBA as the youngest player in his draft. He also entered as one of the most hyped prospects of the last century. Even with the enormous expectations, Cooper has widely lived up to the hype. 

So far this season, even though the Dallas Mavericks have struggled, Flagg has put up some incredible numbers for a rookie. Twenty-six games in, Flagg is averaging 18.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. Flagg has also shown that he is an all-around player, playing quality defense despite being the youngest player in the league. 

On Monday, Flagg added to his already impressive NBA resume. With 42 points on 13–27 shooting and 15 of 20 from the free-throw line, Flagg became the youngest player in NBA history to score 40 points in a game.

“Cooper Flagg scored the most points by an 18-year-old in NBA history, but he couldn't enjoy the accomplishment because it came in defeat. Flagg put up 42 points – topping the previous mark of 37 set by LeBron James on Dec. 13, 2003 – in a 140–133 loss to the Utah Jazz on Monday night.”

When asked about his accomplishment, Flagg said, “Obviously, we didn't win. So, it's tough for me to want to be happy or any of that.”

Being in a losing situation as a rookie is common. But for Flagg, who is known for being hyper-competitive, it puts a sour taste in his mouth. This accomplishment would have been so much better had Flagg and the Mavericks been able to snag a win.