Mavericks Youngster Flagg Breaks 46-Year NBA Record
Last update: January 30, 2026
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Rookie scores historic 49 points but Dallas fall narrowly to Charlotte at the American Airlines Center.
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg became the first teenager to score 49 points in an NBA game, though his historic night ended in a 123–121 defeat to the Charlotte Hornets at the American Airlines Center.
The 19-year-old surpassed Clifford Robinson’s long-standing record of 45 points, set in 1980 for the New Jersey Nets against the Detroit Pistons.
In his 43rd appearance of the season, Flagg also became the youngest player in NBA history to register at least 40 points and 10 rebounds in a single game.
Charlotte rookie Kon Knueppel also delivered an eye-catching performance.
The 20-year-old, who was Flagg’s room-mate at Duke University, scored a career-high 34 points and converted eight of his 12 three-point attempts, setting a rookie record for the Hornets.
Their combined 83 points marked the highest total by opposing rookies in more than 50 years. They also became the first pair of opposing rookies from the same college to each score more than 30 points in the same NBA game.
CBI News reports that the Mavericks remain 12th in the Western Conference after suffering a fourth consecutive defeat.
The Hornets, meanwhile, extended their winning streak to five games and sit 11th in the Eastern Conference.
