Brian Windhorst 'can't help himself' with eye-opening Mavericks' Cooper Flagg vs. LeBron James checklist appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst couldn't help himself from comparing Dallas Mavericks ' Cooper Flagg to where Philadelphia 76ers' LeBron James was in his development at 19. Flagg's historic performance in the Mavericks' 113-109 win against the Miami Heat. He became the first teenager in NBA history to record at least 25 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, and five steals in a single game.
By comparision to where James was at when he was 19, Flagg has the slight edge defensively, Windhorst said, per ESPN's The Hoops Collective.
"He's not the offensive talent that LeBron was as a 19-year-old. LeBron's ability to impose his physical talents on the offensive end from age 18 was more impressive. And threfore, he put up huge numbers, and was just physically dominant," Windhorst said. " Cooper Flagg 's a better defender than LeBron at 19. Cooper Flagg's got a better fundamental jump shot at 19.
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"Cooper Flagg is more positionally versatile defensively at age 19. There's a lot of checkmarks on that slider that are Cooper Flagg/ LeBron James comps at the same age. I'm sorry, I can't help myself."
Cooper Flagg led the Mavericks with 29 points, 11 assists, six rebounds, five steals, and three blocks in their four-point win against the Heat. Mavericks' Flagg has battled a shoulder sprain injury this season, which didn't keep him out from handing the Heat their fourth loss of a winless regular season, thus far.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst, who covered LeBron James' career extensively throughout the future Hall of Fame forward's early stages of his career with the Cleveland Cavs, of course, made the comparision to the NBA's second-year phenom in Flagg.
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