On Friday evening, Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, 19, did one thing no teenager had ever accomplished. The No. 1 decide in the 2025 Draft dropped 51 factors, changing into the youngest participant — and solely teenager — in NBA historical past to drop a 50-piece.
Flagg did it whereas capturing 19 of 30 (63.3%) from the discipline. The Mavericks additionally wanted each single one of these factors, too, as they misplaced to the Orlando Magic, 138-127. Flagg poured in 24 fourth-quarter factors to attempt to pull the Mavericks again from the useless and a 30-point deficit. Mavericks assistant Frank Vogel (filling in after Jason Kidd was ejected) initially eliminated Flagg from the sport with underneath 4 minutes to play and his workforce trailing by 17. Flagg had 45 at that time, and a refrain of boos from the house crowd adopted.
Soon after, nonetheless, Flagg was again in the sport and pushed his level whole to 51. In doing so, Flagg grew to become the youngest participant to attain 50 factors in an NBA sport, passing Brandon Jennings, who scored 55 in 2009 at age 20. Flagg additionally grew to become simply the third rookie since the ABA/NBA merger in 1976 to attain 50, becoming a member of Jennings and Allen Iverson (1997).
“It’s always fun getting into that type of mode,” Flagg mentioned after the sport. “The basket feels big. Your teammates are looking out for you, helping you out. But I love to win, so that was my main focus. It’s hard for me to fully enjoy myself out there when we’re down 20, down 10, down 15 for the majority of the game.”
The most spectacular side of Flagg’s efficiency wasn’t the spotlight reel dunks or the numerous instances he made a mockery of Orlando’s protection by taking a number of defenders off the dribble to attain with ease at the rim or from mid-range. It was, surprisingly, Flagg’s 3-point capturing that caught out the most.
The rookie went 6 of 9 from lengthy vary, the most 3s he’s made in a single sport this season. It’s additionally the most 3s he’s taken in a sport this season, too. If you’ve got watched Flagg in any respect, you realize his 3-point capturing is by far his weakest offensive talent. He’s solely had six video games this season in which he’s made greater than two 3-pointers in a sport. He has extra video games the place he’s related on zero 3-pointers (26) than he’s had video games the place he’s made two 3-pointers (11).
His 3-point capturing, now as much as 29.3% for the season, is a piece in progress. Friday evening’s efficiency confirmed there’s hope that he can grow to be a extra constant menace from there with time. He was drilling catch-and-shoot 3s, however much more impressively, Flagg had a number of pull-up 3s that supplied flashes of what his future may maintain.
It was an announcement efficiency for the rookie, and it put him in good firm with some all-time greats. Flagg has topped 40 factors 3 times this season. Only Michael Jordan (7) and Iverson (5) have extra 40-point video games as a rookie since the merger.
After the sport, his teammates and coaches have been singing his praises.
“He should be Rookie of the Year. It’s unbelievable,” Kidd mentioned. “The country is not watching the same thing that we get to watch on a daily basis. The things that he’s done, he’s in rare air. He’s with the GOAT when you talk about MJ and what he did in his rookie year — and as a teenager.”
It’s no shock to see Kidd endorse his star for Rookie of the Year, and it is fairly exhausting to argue with him after Friday evening. But the place precisely does Flagg stack up in opposition to Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets, the frontrunner for the award?
Tale of the tape: Flagg vs. Knueppel
Knueppel, Flagg’s former teammate at Duke, is at the moment the favourite for Rookie of the Year (-350 at FanDuel). But after Friday’s efficiency, Flagg actually made this race attention-grabbing and is not too far behind in the odds at +250.
Despite what passionate followers would possibly say on each side of this race, this can be a lot nearer than anybody is keen to confess, and performances like Flagg’s on Friday may considerably sway the dialog.
Head-to-head stats
Cooper Flagg | 65 | 20.8 | 6.6 | 4.5 | 1.2 | 47.2% | 29.3% |
Kon Knueppel | 77 | 18.8 | 5.4 | 3.4 | 0.7 | 48.3% | 43.1% |
Flagg’s on tempo to grow to be the first rookie since Jordan to steer his workforce in factors, rebounds, assists and steals. He owns the high three highest scoring totals by a rookie this season. In a typical yr, Flagg can be far forward in the Rookie of the Year dialog, no query. Historically, the award has all the time gone to a rookie on a rebuilding workforce. If Flagg gained the award proper now, he’d actually be deserving of it. He’s been the most necessary participant on a roster that has been in flux all season.
He’s not simply the offensive engine for the Mavericks; he’s additionally defending at a stage above what rookies are anticipated to do. He’s environment friendly from mid-range, can get to the rim at will and finishes at a fee (68%) greater than the likes of Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell, per Cleaning the Glass.
That’s to not say Knueppel should not win the award. He’s averaging 18.8 factors on close to 50/40/90 splits. He shattered the rookie 3-point report and has been a catalyst for Charlotte reworking from a lottery mainstay to an really aggressive workforce.
But Knueppel can also be benefiting from taking part in alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. He’s grow to be one of the finest off-ball threats in the league in half as a result of of the consideration these two entice, but additionally as a result of of the excessive IQ Knueppel has together with his off-ball motion. It’s not outrageous to say Knueppel is the finest 3-point shooter in the league not named Stephen Curry, and the numbers again that up. Knueppel is second in the league in 3-point proportion (minimal 5 3PA/G), proving he’s not simply good by rookie requirements. He’s lighting the league on fireplace.
When it comes all the way down to it, there is a case for each gamers, or a co-winner scenario like Grant Hill and Jason Kidd in 1995. But as a result of nobody likes ties, Knueppel may need the edge as a result of the Hornets are in place to earn a playoff spot if they will get via the play-in spherical first. They’ve nearly doubled the quantity of wins the Mavericks have (42 to 24). In a Rookie of the Year race this shut, the workforce outcomes would possibly really be the deciding issue. Even a historic 51-point outing from Flagg may not be sufficient to considerably pull voters again on his aspect to overhaul Knueppel in this race.
