51 points for Cooper Flagg: “ROY? I’m just focused on improving”
Cooper Flagg makes NBA history with 51 points at just 19 years old, becoming the youngest ever to reach that mark. A sensational performance that, however, wasn’t enough to prevent a Dallas Mavericks loss
A record-breaking night with a bitter ending. The Dallas Mavericks fall short, but the undisputed star of the game is a rookie who has already changed expectations around his name: Cooper Flagg.
Historic performance: 51 points at just 19
At 19 years and 103 days, Flagg became the youngest player in NBA history to score at least 50 points in a game, finishing with 51 in a 138-127 loss to the Orlando Magic.
A performance that was simply off the charts:
- 19/30 from the field
- 6/9 from three-point range
- 7/7 from the free-throw line
And above all, an unreal fourth quarter: 24 points in the final 12 minutes, with the clear sense that every possession ran through him.
A superstar finish: three, and-one, standing ovation
Late in the game, with 45 points already on the board, Flagg was briefly subbed out by Frank Vogel, serving as interim head coach after Jason Kidd was ejected.
He quickly returned and closed the show in full superstar fashion:
- Corner three
- And-one to reach 50 points
- Made free throw
Then came his exit to a standing ovation from the crowd.
Jason Kidd: “He should be Rookie of the Year”
Postgame, Jason Kidd defended both his team and his rising star, also commenting – half-jokingly – on his ejection:
Naji and I might need to get ejected more often… I was trying to protect my players, especially Cooper. There was a foul and nobody saw it. Sometimes you’ve got to make yourself heard
Jason Kidd
Then the key statement:
He should be Rookie of the Year. He’s incredible – people on the outside don’t see what we see every day
Jason Kidd
Cooper Flagg, on the other hand, was more reserved about openly campaigning for the Rookie of the Year award, though he acknowledged the performance might help his case:
I hope it helps. But I’m not worried about that. I’m just focused on getting better every single night
Cooper Flagg
An exclusive club: 50-point rookie games
With this performance, Cooper Flagg joins a very exclusive list:
he is just the ninth rookie in NBA history to score at least 50 points in a game.
The last to do it before him? Brandon Jennings, who scored 55 in the 2009-10 season.
Flagg has already shown he can dominate. The next step? Turning these performances into wins.