Cooper Flagg scored a career-high 49 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in Dallas’ 123-121 loss to Charlotte on Thursday. “Yeah, it was tough. We fight the whole game, just play really hard, stick together…we gave ourselves a chance to win down the stretch,” Flagg said.
The teenager broke Cliff Robinson’s 1980 record for points by a teenager. “It feels great. I’m honored. It’s special to have an accomplishment like that on the same night Mark Aguirre gets his jersey retired. I just feel blessed,” he said.
Flagg acknowledged the mistakes in the final moments of the game. “Less than 30 seconds left, turnover, and then kind of foul Knueppel…It’s something I want to get better at. End-of-game situations, I’m always trying to learn,” he said.
Reflecting on competing against former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, Flagg said, “It’s incredible…he’s my roommate from last year, and it’s funny, I think 10-plus years down the road, we’ll both look back on this as a pretty special thing. He’s my brother for life.”
Flagg praised the competitiveness and talent of Knueppel. “Good conversation. I’m confident in what I can do, but he’s a great player as well. He’s a special guy, special player, and has incredible character. None of this has been surprising to me,” he said.
On Knueppel’s hot start with three early threes, Flagg admitted, “It’s not good. When you see some easy ones go in to start the game, you never want to let them get into a rhythm. I let him get an early one off,” he said.
Flagg described the dynamic of competing for Rookie of the Year with a friend. “It’s incredible. I wouldn’t want to be in any other position. We’ll both be looking back on this night and this year for the rest of our lives,” he said.
He also reflected on the brotherhood of basketball witnessed during Aguirre’s jersey ceremony. “It’s special to have that kind of bond and relationship with each other. It’s really cool to see,” Flagg said.
Looking at his rookie season growth, Flagg highlighted his offensive development. “I think my pace, picking my spots, where I want to get my looks, driving lines…playing with force and better angles has been something I worked a lot on. I’m always working on my shooting and being confident,” he said.
Despite Flagg’s historic performance, Kon Knueppel’s 34 points, including two clutch free throws in the final 4.1 seconds, secured the Hornets’ fifth consecutive win. Dallas dropped to 19-29, while Charlotte improved to 21-28.
