Cooper Flagg Makes ROTY Statement With 51 Points

Cooper Flagg just gave the world 51 reasons why he should be the undisputed NBA Rookie of the Year.  Giving this award to any other player would be a vulgar insult to the game of basketball. His 51-point showing against the Orlando Magic last night was the most points ever scored by a teenager in the NBA. This valiant and remarkably efficient outing saw him surpass the previous record of 49, set by himself in January against the Hornets.

This guy is different. Not a single teenage sensation in NBA history has matched his astounding returns. Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are slowly being peeled from the record books thanks to Flagg’s insane output. The April 3rd contest may have been a “career game,” but it’s really just a game that sets a tone for the rest of his career.

Cooper Flagg Makes ROTY Statement With 51 Points

Efficiency was the word of the day for Cooper Flagg. 19/30 from the field, 7/7 from the charity stripe, topped off with a nice 6/9 from 3-point range. It’s one thing to get the 51 points; it’s another to do it intentionally.

Flagg balled like a worn-in veteran against Orlando, willing the team forward despite a lack of cooperation. Although the loss is unfortunate, it does not dampen the euphoria of the occasion. What is just as impressive as his efficiency was who he was operating against. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner both put in their share, trying to contain the Dallas rookie. Experienced, high-class and just as fired up as Flagg himself, the two Magic stars failed to contain the bombastic offense from “the Maine event.”

Flagg’s explosions towards the basket rile up a younger crowd. However, experienced Maverick fans will take note of the killer mid-range shot. Flashes of OG franchise legend Rolando Blackman appeared. Flagg is mastering the 16-foot shot that was a trademark of Blackman’s game, which is fitting, as those two names may one day hang beside each other in the rafters.

It Has to be Flagg, No Matter What

This game really proved one thing. Cooper Flagg is the best player in his draft class by a country mile. Nobody matches his output as consistently across all facets of the game, offensive or defensive. He resides in the top-5 of all five major individual statistical categories for rookies. He continues to break records, including his own.

With the Mavericks clearly out of the playoff picture, the Flagg show will not roll on for much longer this season. While any poor output for the remainder of the year would be negligible to his case, expect to see a couple more fireworks shows from the former Duke star.

It seemed to be an impossible job: be the new star boy in Dallas. The old one, Luka Doncic, was so beloved by fans that his departure cost a man his job and livelihood. Flagg has cemented himself as the new face of Dallas basketball, the new face of USA basketball and the future of the NBA. One question arises from this discourse, though.

Who the hell is Kon Knueppel?