Cooper Flagg breaks LeBron James’ rookie record against the Jazz
After an inconsistent start to his rookie season, Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg has picked up in recent weeks.
The Mavericks visited the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center on Monday, and Flagg emerged with another impressive performance. He set his new career high with about four minutes left in the fourth quarter after scoring his 36th point.
He was isolated against fellow rookie Ace Bailey on the right side before driving hard for a tough buoy.
He added another bucket next to it beat the previous record Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James for most points scored by an 18-year-old, according to NBA Insider Marc Stein. In 2003, James dropped 37 points against the Boston Celtics.
Dallas’ Cooper Flagg just set an NBA single-game record for 18-year-olds with 39 points and counting at Utah … surpassing LeBron James’ 37 points as an 18-year-old in 2003.
Flagg turns 19 on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/vdf1mHJH68
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 16, 2025
Flagg continues to show his advanced game at such a young age. Many expressed concern after he struggled in the first few games. But he has since silenced them with his string of impressive outings.
The No. 1 overall pick out of Duke is considered the future face of the Mavericks. As of now, he has to play behind Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving at the end when he returns from his ACL injury, though Flagg has shown he can carry the scoring load for the team.
Flagg has earned praise for his work ethicand he showed his competitive fire, two attributes that will only help him become one of the NBA’s elite players.
Amidst all the problems that have dogged the Mavericks since the departure of Luka Doncic, Flegg has been a silver lining for fans to hold on to.
2025-12-16 04:44:00
