Cooper Flagg breakout game - Second youngest player ever to score 25, after LeBron James

[dirkdiggler4177]

Cooper Flagg has not been struggling, considering he is a rookie, but the Mavs have really been struggling with turnovers and just a miserable offense. But in the last two games, it has turned around, and the Mavs actually look like a team. Cooper is not playing point guard anymore. Klay Thompson, Russell, and Powell are all getting fewer shots and minutes. Meanwhile, Brandon Williams and Moussa Cisse are doing a solid job.

This has energized the team. Everyone seems to be playing well together, and it has led to Cooper's breakout game, showing all his tools. LeBron James beat Cooper in 22 days, scoring 25 in his first NBA game.

26 pts, 9 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk, 1to (9-15 FG, 1-5 3PT, 7-10 FT)

Watch on YouTube

All his shot attempts, including misses:
https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&ContextMeasure=FGA&EndPeriod=0&EndRange=28800&GameID=0022500203&PlayerID=1642843&RangeType=0&Season=2025-26&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&StartPeriod=0&StartRange=0&TeamID=1610612742&flag=3&sct=plot&section=game

[Airmiess]

He had a Kobe record then a LeBron record, that's cool. It has to mean something in the grand scheme of things id assume.

[phanman]

Great breakout game, but c'mon at least admit he's been struggling to start his career. Playing out of position on a dysfunctional team doesn't help but his previous 10 game stats are underwhelming as the #1 overall pick with the hype he came into the league with:
13.9pts, 6.6reb, 3ast, 1.2stl on 40/27/96 in 32.6mpg as a -23.1 on/off being a huge negative on both ends of the floor

[Ice Man]

13.9pts, 6.6reb, 3ast, 1.2stl on 40/27/96 in 32.6mpg as a -23.1 on/off being a huge negative on both ends of the floor

His offense has been bad. The entire team has been awful on offense, and Cooper has looked for the most part no better than the rest of them.

But it's not accurate to call Cooper a huge negative defensively, or even a negative at all. The Mavs have the 3rd best defense in the league, as measured by points per 100 possessions, and Cooper has played his part in that success. Not only common sense (how could the defense be that good with Cooper playing so many minutes, if he were that bad?) but the statistics support that statement. Cooper/s DBPM is positive and is DRating is at the team average (which, as I wrote, is excellent).

[FrodoBaggins]

Things are trending in the right direction.

- 11 GP, 32.7 MPG
- 15.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.3 spg, 0.6 bpg, 2.2 topg
- 49.0% 2PT, 26.2% 3PT, 88.9% FT, 51.6% TS

It's really his three-point shot that's been off. If he shot 36.5%, he'd be averaging 16.2 ppg on 55.5% TS. His shooting talent and progression suggest he has significant potential. I'd expect things to pick up. NBA.com's new expected FG% stats (via Amazon) have his expected 3PT% at 35.3% and actual 3PT% at 26.2% 3PT, a -9.1% difference. Expected 3PT% is what the league average is on that specific shot quality.

Since the 1/9, 2 pts OKC game:

- 7 GP, 33.4 MPG
- 16.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.4 spg, 0.7 bpg, 2.3 topg
- 52.2% 2PT, 25.9% 3PT, 84.6% FT, 53.6% TS

His ppg and TS% over those 7 games would be 17.4 and 57.8 with a 36.5% 3PT.

He already looks like the most versatile player out there. Everything looks good; the shots just haven't been consistently falling. But they will with time. The defensive tape looks good. The transition game is strong (3.6 poss/g [75th percentile], 1.32 ppp [76.2nd percentile]) The positive assist-to-turnover ratio is there.

[dirkdiggler4177]

Great breakout game, but c'mon at least admit he's been struggling to start his career. Playing out of position on a dysfunctional team doesn't help but his previous 10 game stats are underwhelming as the #1 overall pick with the hype he came into the league with:
13.9pts, 6.6reb, 3ast, 1.2stl on 40/27/96 in 32.6mpg as a -23.1 on/off being a huge negative on both ends of the floor

Yes, I agree on that when you look at the stats.

[bonita_the_frog]

Great breakout game, but c'mon at least admit he's been struggling to start his career. Playing out of position on a dysfunctional team doesn't help but his previous 10 game stats are underwhelming as the #1 overall pick with the hype he came into the league with:
13.9pts, 6.6reb, 3ast, 1.2stl on 40/27/96 in 32.6mpg as a -23.1 on/off being a huge negative on both ends of the floor

Now Cooper Flagg is averaging 15.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, .424 field.

Flagg will catch VJ Edgecombe soon who's averaging 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, .427 field and shooting only .300 field (and .214 threes) in his last 4 games!

Flagg's scoring average is going up, and by the end of his rookie season it could be close to 20ppg and rookie LeBron averaged 20.9 points, .417 field, .290 threes.

Flagg already has better fg% than rookie LeBron, and similar 3pt%.
Flagg is lucky that Kyrie is not here, because Flagg is getting the chance to handle the ball and he's doing a great job with only 2.2 turnovers per game.
This is great for Flagg's development, the perfect situation, and then Kyrie will come back later in the season and Flagg can work on other parts of his game!

[TK Smart]

Great breakout game, but c'mon at least admit he's been struggling to start his career. Playing out of position on a dysfunctional team doesn't help but his previous 10 game stats are underwhelming as the #1 overall pick with the hype he came into the league with:
13.9pts, 6.6reb, 3ast, 1.2stl on 40/27/96 in 32.6mpg as a -23.1 on/off being a huge negative on both ends of the floor

He's a legitimate 18 year old doing this tho. We should expect up and down consistency. If Flagg is as advertised I'd expect averages around 15-5-3, efficiency not quite there and **** on-off stats. But for an 18 year old rookie, that's outstanding and extremely promising.

Like I see the VJ Edgecombe comparison. While it doesn't magically mean Flagg is better today, nor does it mean Flagg will ever be better, proper perspective needs to be had in that Flagg is 18 and Edgecombe is 20. So in a vacuum the pup is doing very well right now.

[tsherkin]

He's a legitimate 18 year old doing this tho. We should expect up and down consistency. If Flagg is as advertised I'd expect averages around 15-5-3, efficiency not quite there and **** on-off stats. But for an 18 year old rookie, that's outstanding and extremely promising.

Hundred percent.

And lest we forget, Lebron shot 41.7% FG on a 35-win team as a rookie and KD shot 43.0%.

Flagg is ALSO shooting 88.9% from the foul line and in no way has he been positioned for success by how Dallas has been deploying him, as others have noted. He's doing pretty well. You can see the effort, and you can see the athleticism. The rest, well, it typically takes a little bit for that to come around for a teenager, even a high-end prospect.

[Godymas]

Cooper Flagg, after LeBron James

[itrsteve]

Cooper is going to be 100% fine

[bonita_the_frog]

Cooper Flagg is having the perfect rookie season, because he improves each week.
And you can tell when you talk to him, he's got that personality of a soldier, somebody who will always improve.
That puts him target for, like I said about 20ppg this season, because he's already averaging 15ppg while improving.
At this rate he'll probably be averaging 17ppg by the end of 2025 !
Being a Cooper Flagg fan is the best thing you can ever do.

[PistolPeteJR]

Great breakout game, but c'mon at least admit he's been struggling to start his career. Playing out of position on a dysfunctional team doesn't help but his previous 10 game stats are underwhelming as the #1 overall pick with the hype he came into the league with:
13.9pts, 6.6reb, 3ast, 1.2stl on 40/27/96 in 32.6mpg as a -23.1 on/off being a huge negative on both ends of the floor

Now Cooper Flagg is averaging 15.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, .424 field.

Flagg will catch VJ Edgecombe soon who's averaging 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, .427 field and shooting only .300 field (and .214 threes) in his last 4 games!

Flagg's scoring average is going up, and by the end of his rookie season it could be close to 20ppg and rookie LeBron averaged 20.9 points, .417 field, .290 threes.

Flagg already has better fg% than rookie LeBron, and similar 3pt%.
Flagg is lucky that Kyrie is not here, because Flagg is getting the chance to handle the ball and he's doing a great job with only 2.2 turnovers per game.
This is great for Flagg's development, the perfect situation, and then Kyrie will come back later in the season and Flagg can work on other parts of his game!

LOL @ comparing a rookie in 2003 to a rookie in 2025. Completely different games.

[Optms]

Great breakout game, but c'mon at least admit he's been struggling to start his career. Playing out of position on a dysfunctional team doesn't help but his previous 10 game stats are underwhelming as the #1 overall pick with the hype he came into the league with:
13.9pts, 6.6reb, 3ast, 1.2stl on 40/27/96 in 32.6mpg as a -23.1 on/off being a huge negative on both ends of the floor

Now Cooper Flagg is averaging 15.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, .424 field.

Flagg will catch VJ Edgecombe soon who's averaging 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, .427 field and shooting only .300 field (and .214 threes) in his last 4 games!

Flagg's scoring average is going up, and by the end of his rookie season it could be close to 20ppg and rookie LeBron averaged 20.9 points, .417 field, .290 threes.

Flagg already has better fg% than rookie LeBron, and similar 3pt%.
Flagg is lucky that Kyrie is not here, because Flagg is getting the chance to handle the ball and he's doing a great job with only 2.2 turnovers per game.
This is great for Flagg's development, the perfect situation, and then Kyrie will come back later in the season and Flagg can work on other parts of his game!

LOL @ comparing a rookie in 2003 to a rookie in 2025. Completely different games.

Not to mention Flagg went from Duke to the NBA. Lebron came straight out of HS while looking like an All-Star against a loaded Sacramento Kings from game 1. Flagg is gonna be good and in many ways is Lebron-like but he's not on that level.

[Calvin Klein]

Great breakout game, but c'mon at least admit he's been struggling to start his career. Playing out of position on a dysfunctional team doesn't help but his previous 10 game stats are underwhelming as the #1 overall pick with the hype he came into the league with:
13.9pts, 6.6reb, 3ast, 1.2stl on 40/27/96 in 32.6mpg as a -23.1 on/off being a huge negative on both ends of the floor

Now Cooper Flagg is averaging 15.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, .424 field.

Flagg will catch VJ Edgecombe soon who's averaging 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, .427 field and shooting only .300 field (and .214 threes) in his last 4 games!

Flagg's scoring average is going up, and by the end of his rookie season it could be close to 20ppg and rookie LeBron averaged 20.9 points, .417 field, .290 threes.

Flagg already has better fg% than rookie LeBron, and similar 3pt%.
Flagg is lucky that Kyrie is not here, because Flagg is getting the chance to handle the ball and he's doing a great job with only 2.2 turnovers per game.
This is great for Flagg's development, the perfect situation, and then Kyrie will come back later in the season and Flagg can work on other parts of his game!

LOL @ comparing a rookie in 2003 to a rookie in 2025. Completely different games.

only 2 teams averaged more than 100 points per game in 2004. And only 8 more than 95ppg.

[ryguy613]

aha, right. i figured the literal moment Flagg had an impressive game the glazing would return to preseason levels. We back baby!!!!

[bonita_the_frog]

Great breakout game, but c'mon at least admit he's been struggling to start his career. Playing out of position on a dysfunctional team doesn't help but his previous 10 game stats are underwhelming as the #1 overall pick with the hype he came into the league with:
13.9pts, 6.6reb, 3ast, 1.2stl on 40/27/96 in 32.6mpg as a -23.1 on/off being a huge negative on both ends of the floor

Now Cooper Flagg is averaging 15.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, .424 field.

Flagg will catch VJ Edgecombe soon who's averaging 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, .427 field and shooting only .300 field (and .214 threes) in his last 4 games!

Flagg's scoring average is going up, and by the end of his rookie season it could be close to 20ppg and rookie LeBron averaged 20.9 points, .417 field, .290 threes.

Flagg already has better fg% than rookie LeBron, and similar 3pt%.
Flagg is lucky that Kyrie is not here, because Flagg is getting the chance to handle the ball and he's doing a great job with only 2.2 turnovers per game.
This is great for Flagg's development, the perfect situation, and then Kyrie will come back later in the season and Flagg can work on other parts of his game!

LOL @ comparing a rookie in 2003 to a rookie in 2025. Completely different games.

I agree, but I wasn't comparing players, just their stats.
If Flagg's scoring average continues to rise, there is a good chance he'll average the same as rookie LeBron.

[Duke4life831]

I’ll say this first off. Flagg has been horrible trying to adjust to an off ball role. Whenever he’s not heavily involved in the offense, he really struggles to adjust and find ways to get back into the offense or even things like his rebounding and defense suffers.

Now with that said, when he stays involved in the offense he looks pretty damn promising. Basically any game where he’s had at least 14 shots, his facilitating is better and his rebounding is better.

And with how bad the Mavs are, it should be a very easy decision to just tank and trade everyone away that they can get assets in return for. Then just allow Flagg to have a high usage and low efficient rest of the season.

Basically night in night out, he should be penciled in for 15+ shots and leading the team or at least 2nd in USG and Time Per Possession.

[California Gold]

1 month from turning 19 years old. I think he's going to be a fine player. Wait till he's 21-22, you may see him on a Finals team.

[Exp0sed]

He had a Kobe record then a LeBron record, that's cool. It has to mean something in the grand scheme of things id assume.

not really

very few players have been selected this young in the draft AND were given the starting spot and green light to shoot from day one.
I mean, he's gotta be like top 10 youngest players ever drafted, right?

and most of those guys are guys like Jermaine Oneal (who played 10 mpg as a rookie) or guys like T-Mac who played 18 mpg as a rookie. Flagg isn't just playing, he was the first option basically, so far this season. none the guys drafted this young had this opportunity, except ofc - Lebron

so it isn't much of an achievement..a very small pool of candidates, if any