Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg leads all rookies with eight 30-point games this season, three more than former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel. But the bigger story is the company he’s keeping. As a 19-year-old, Flagg already ranks third all-time in 30-point games by a teenager, trailing only Carmelo Anthony (10) and LeBron James (20).
But he’s even closer in a more exclusive category. As a teenage rookie, Cooper Flagg is just two 30-point games behind Carmelo Anthony and five behind LeBron James. With eight games remaining, Flagg has a real chance to pass both.
Cooper Flagg’s path to breaking NBA teenage rookie records
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Even if Flagg doesn’t catch James this season, he’ll have another shot early next year. Flagg doesn’t turn 20 until December 21, meaning he’ll still have a sizable window to add to his total. Dallas played 29 games before he turned 19 this season, putting roughly 40 games within reach for Flagg to chase down James’ mark.
Even without a reliable three-ball, Flagg has already recorded eight 30-point games this season for the Mavericks, which is proof of his elite scoring potential.
Flagg shoots just 28.6 percent from beyond the arc and only attempts 4.7 free throws per game. When he scored 49 against the Charlotte Hornets, for instance, he made just three threes and six free throws, showing he can dominate without relying on perimeter shooting [or frequent trips to the line.](https://thesmokingcuban.com/cooper-flagg-trapped-in-problem-every-all-time-great-has-encountered)
Next season, it’s realistic to see Flagg challenge LeBron's seemingly untouchable mark. LeBron went from shooting 29.0 percent from three as a rookie to 35.1 percent as a sophomore, while his free-throw attempts jumped from 5.8 to 8.0 per game. If Flagg improves similarly, he could add significantly to his scoring output and make a run at history.
Moreover, with Kyrie Irving returning from a torn ACL next season, Flagg won’t have to shoulder as much of Dallas' playmaking and scoring load. [He’ll spend less energy](https://thesmokingcuban.com/cooper-flagg-honest-admission-makes-mavericks-next-move-obvious) bringing the ball up the floor and creating for teammates — tasks that have sometimes limited his scoring impact.
With eight games left this season and half a sophomore calendar ahead, Flagg has a chance to surpass both Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James in teenage 30-point games. His trajectory isn’t just a statistical anomaly, but it's a signal that a new elite scorer is emerging. Flagg isn’t just chasing numbers. He’s chasing history, and every 30-point game adds to the legend. He's only 19 years old now, but closing in on joining such a prestigious group underscores his uniquely generational talent.