Cooper Flagg makes NBA History in record breaking night
Cooper Flagg delivered a historic performance despite defeat, becoming the highest scoring teenager in NBA history during the Dallas Mavericks’ 123–121 loss to the Charlotte Hornets.
The 19 years old scored 49 points at the American Airlines Center, breaking a 46 years old NBA record previously held by Clifford Robinson, who scored 45 points as a teenager in 1980. In the process, Flagg also became the youngest player ever to record at least 40 points and 10 rebounds in a single game.
It was Flagg’s 43rd appearance of the season and another milestone moment in what has already been a standout year following his selection as a first round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
The night also featured a good performance from Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel, a former college teammate of Flagg at Duke. Knueppel scored a career-high 34 points, hitting eight of his 12 attempts from three point range, setting a Charlotte rookie record.
Together, Flagg and Knueppel combined for 83 points, the most ever scored by opposing rookies in a single game in over 50 years. They also became the first opposing rookies from the same college to each score 30 or more points in the same NBA game.
Despite Flagg’s night, the Mavericks slipped to their fourth straight loss and sit 12th in the Western Conference. Charlotte, meanwhile, extended their winning streak to five games and moved to 11th in the Eastern Conference.
