Cooper Flagg has quickly established himself as a fearless finisher who thrives when the stakes reach their peak. With Dallas trailing by one in the final minute of a December 15, 2025 thriller at Delta Center, the rookie forward caught the ball on the wing and immediately put his head down. Flagg burst past his initial defender, absorbed contact in the paint, and kissed a driving layup high off glass for a 127-126 Mavericks lead with 46 seconds left. The bucket gave him 39 on the night. A free throw moments later got Flagg to 40 points, making Flagg the youngest player in NBA history to reach that mark and the first 18-year-old to ever do it. The explosive rookie finished with 42 points on 13-of-27 shooting with 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks and a steal. · Dec 16, 2025