Flagg — the No. 1 pick in last summer’s NBA Draft — scored 42 points, which is the highest scoring output from an 18-year-old in NBA history. James held the previous record with 37 points, which came in a December 2003 game with the Cleveland Cavaliers in his rookie season.

It wasn’t long ago that Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel were both repping Duke, leading the Blue Devils to their first Final Four appearance since 2022. Flagg won

Mavericks trade idea ships Anthony Davis for overhaul, 2 first-rounders to build around Cooper Flagg originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

1. Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks Flagg remains the standard. His efficiency and composure in late-game situations have separated him from the rest of the class. Dallas has relied on him in tight games, and he has responded with scoring, rebounding and poise beyond his years. The top spot remains unchanged.

Flagg is already a really good NBA player, but how does he stack up compared to his peers? ESPN ranked the top 25 players under 25 years old based on long-term potential, and had Cooper Flagg 8th, only behind Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Edwards, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Williams, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and Evan Mobley.