Cooper Flagg breaks LeBron record with 42-point rookie explosion in Mavs OT loss
Cooper Flagg
December 2025
Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg erupted for 42 points in an overtime loss to Utah, becoming the youngest player and first 18-year-old ever to score at least 40 in an NBA game, and just the fourth rookie in Dallas history to hit the 40-point mark. Flagg, who entered averaging 17.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists, poured in 24 by half-time and kept attacking to finish with a record-breaking haul that cemented his place atop the Kia Rookie Ladder, even as Dallas fell short on the scoreboard.