Mavericks' Cooper Flagg Makes Case for NBA Rookie of the Year With Historic 51 Points

Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg had a game for the ages on Friday night against the Orlando Magic, putting up 51 points, 24 of them coming in the fourth quarter. He was efficient from the floor and from three, was still productive on defense, and completely controlled the game.

It may have come in a losing effort, but having the most points in a game by a teenager in NBA history, and being one of just 10 rookies ever with a 50-point game, is one heck of a statement to make in the middle of a Rookie of the Year race.

NBA.com's Rookie Ladder still has Flagg second behind Kon Knueppel, as did ESPN's latest straw poll, and while those were before this game, Flagg is going to make it as competitive a race as he can. He sounded off on the race after the game.

“It is what it is. 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 of the rest of the stuff figure it out.

“I’m not sure [if it helps the Rookie of the Year argument]. I would hope it would help, but like I said, I’m not gonna worry about that, worry about just getting better every single night and trying to look at a big picture and start building toward something.”

Cooper Flagg on the Rookie of the Year race:

“It is what it is. 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,… pic.twitter.com/PWtSJFzQRx
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) April 4, 2026

Mark Cuban Backs Cooper Flagg's Campaign

Mark Cuban wasn't at the game, and he's had a busy week in the media as is. He still made sure to give Noah Weber of The Smoking Cuban a statement on Flagg's historic night.

"Coop can do it all," Cuban said. "He finds a way to contribute the way his team needs it. He understands time and score. He knows when the game is on the line, how to impact it.

But of all the other great rookies, Cooper has had to carry the biggest load and was depended on by his teammates, more than any other rookies.

You can see their trust in him, and they understood how he made them better.

You rarely see that from a rookie and never from a 19 yr old.

That makes him ROTY."

Cooper Flagg has had a special season, and whether or not he'll get rewarded as such remains to be seen. Kon Knueppel leads the NBA in three-pointers made, but Flagg has been much more impactful everywhere else. This could end in a tie, but some members of the media may reward a player winning more.

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