Former Duke Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg delivered a historic performance, becoming the first teenager in NBA history to score 51 points in a game despite the Dallas Mavericks’ 138-127 loss to the Orlando Magic.
“It’s cool,” Flagg said after the game. ”I think it just speaks to who I am and the confidence I have in myself, the people around me, how much confidence they have in me, just put me in the right spots. And I think just the improvement, grinding and getting better all year long, and staying focused on myself and this team, and just trying to get better.”
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Flagg is no stranger to making basketball history, as he did at Duke with the Blue Devils last year, but the NBA is a different beast, and for him to continue to find such individual success at this level is nothing short of impressive.
All season long, Flagg has been beyond impressive, averaging 20.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists a night. Those numbers in any given season would make a player the undisputed Rookie of the Year, and yet Flagg is currently projected to finish second to his former Duke teammate and roommate, Kon Knueppel.
Knueppel has helped lead the Charlotte Hornets toward their first postseason appearance in a decade. Averaging 18.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, the combination of Knueppel’s statistical success while not having the shot attempts of a No. 1 option, combined with his team’s success, has given him some edge in the conversation.
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“I said this a bunch, it is what it is,” Flagg said of the ROTY race. “For me, like I’ve said before, it’s just about getting better every single day. I know what I’m capable of and what I can do. So for me, it’s always been about just improving every night, going out there, competing, being the player that I know I can be. And I’ll let all the rest of the stuff figure it out.”
“[I’m] not sure. I would hope it would help,” Flagg said of how this game could improve his ROTY odds. “But, like I said, I’m not going to worry about that. Worry about just getting better every single night and trying to look at a big picture and start building towards something.”
The season is coming to a close, but it’s not over yet. Flagg still has an opportunity to retake the lead in the Rookie of the Year race, but even if he comes up short, he’s on track for a one-of-a-kind NBA career.
This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Cooper Flagg becomes first teenager in NBA history with 51-point game