LeBron James and Heir Apparent Cooper Flagg Create NBA History Together

LeBron James was left to take on the Los Angeles Lakers' scoring burden against Cooper Flagg and his Dallas Mavericks.

LeBron James and Heir Apparent Cooper Flagg Create NBA History Together

LeBron James and Cooper Flagg set a record together (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • LeBron James and Cooper Flagg made NBA history as the first players to each score 20+ points in a game with one over 40 and the other a teenager.
  • Cooper Flagg scored 51 points in a previous game, setting the record for the most points by a teenager in NBA history.
  • LeBron praised Flagg's consistent performance and potential to become one of the best players in the game.

Whenever LeBron James has to leave the game, many will be looking towards the next young superstar to take his mantle as the ‘Face of the NBA.’ With Cooper Flagg, Anthony Edwards, and several others vying for that moniker, no one has established a stronghold on that position.

The Los Angeles Lakers superstar may be 41 years old, but even now, fans, both young and old, see him as the de facto global basketball superstar.

That is why when the Akron native traveled to Paris for the 2024 Olympics, fans lined the streets and filled out Bercy Arena, despite the presence of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and other NBA stars.

One of them, Edwards, has been the one name that has made people think of him as the obvious candidate to replace the King. However, a certain rookie has slowly and steadily made his name take prominence.

In his last game against the Orlando Magic, Cooper Flagg scored 51 points, the most by any teenager in NBA history. Now, he was back with another major performance, scoring 45.

He narrowly missed making it a memorable performance, as he finished two rebounds and one assist short of a triple-double. But he made that up when LeBron James managed to get past a certain point on the scoreboard.

Both the Los Angeles Lakers superstar and the Dallas Mavericks rookie finished the first half with more than 20 points each. That makes them the first set of players to score that much where one is over 40 years old, and the other is a teenager.

LeBron James heaps praise on Cooper Flagg after latest battle

Even though LeBron James scored that much in the first half, he could not keep up the same pace in the second half, finishing with just eight more points.

Cooper Flagg battling against LeBron James
Cooper Flagg battling against LeBron James (Image via Bleacher Report/X)

After all, he has been tasked with leading the Lakers after injuries to both their leading scorers. Even though that is a significant load for the oldest player in the league, he tried to keep his team afloat.

Eventually, Cooper Flagg’s 45 points were too much for the visitors to overcome. When asked about the rookie’s performances, the league’s all-time leading scorer had this to say:

Cooper’s been in a zone over the last couple of games. But also just been playing consistent basketball all year… From early in the season to where he is today, that’s great, as a fan of him and a fan of the game.

LeBron James told reporters

From his answer, it seems the four-time league MVP has accepted the fact that the Duke standout is an exceptional talent and can go on to become one of the best players in the game.

Jason Kidd wants Cooper Flagg to learn everything from LeBron James’ game

While LeBron James may have a high opinion about Cooper Flagg, fans and the media would judge the Dallas Mavericks rookie based on how his career pans out.

Since the Maine native has a ready process created by the Lakers superstar to follow, DLLS Mavs writer Ron Harrod Jr. asked Mavs head coach Jason Kidd what all his young forward should learn from the 23-season veteran.

Everything. You talk about winning, you talk about longevity, you talk about always improving their game each year.

Jason Kidd replied

The Hall of Famer knows all too well about his former rival, teammate, and understudy, watching him grow from being a hyped teenager to becoming one of the best basketball players ever.

That is why Kidd wants his rookie to learn everything from the father of three. In fact, the head coach also wants Flagg to learn from James’ rise to become a billionaire, as he believes the 19-year-old can do the same.

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