The first small goal at 19 years old is to catch up with LeBron James.

Today marks Flagg's 19th birthday, signifying that most of his 18-year-old records have been finalized.

In his final game at 18, despite losing to Philadelphia, Flagg managed 24 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block on 8-of-16 shooting. This was his ninth 20+ point game with at least 50% shooting at age 18, matching LeBron James for the top spot.

With these 24 points, Flagg’s total scoring at 18 reached 526 points, ranking third in history behind LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. In the era when high school players could enter the league directly, many debuted at 18, but only these three players scored over 500 points before turning 19, with LeBron leading at 625 points.

After completing one-third of the season, I believe no one doubts Flagg’s ability to perform anymore. In fact, once Flagg started playing forward, his talent began to shine uncontrollably on the court.

What stands out most about Flagg’s talent? I think it is his ability to learn and adapt quickly. From high school to college, and then to the NBA, Flagg has rapidly adjusted to each higher level and become a top performer.

Coach Kidd had him play point guard for the first seven games, during which Flagg averaged 13.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. The stats looked decent, but as a "point guard," his performance was inadequate. After seven games, Flagg returned to his familiar forward position and became unstoppable.

In 21 games as a forward, Flagg averaged 20.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1 block per game. His assist numbers as a forward even surpassed those as a point guard, which speaks volumes. Transitioning from forward to point guard requires significant trial and error time, and as a rookie, every game is precious.

Breaking down his monthly performance reveals an astonishing rate of improvement. In October, he averaged 13.4 points; in November, 17.8 points; and in December’s eight games, 24 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. On December 16th against the Jazz, he scored 42 points, breaking LeBron’s record to become the youngest player to score 40 points in a game.

The Mavericks have essentially given him unlimited offensive freedom, but most of the time he plays very smartly, controlling his offensive urges without truly taking unlimited shots. He can carry the scoring load while playing selflessly, and his defensive impact is visibly mature beyond rookie level.

Even more impressive is Flagg’s clutch ability. Recent stats show that in the last five minutes of close games this season, Flagg has made 12 of 17 clutch shots, a 70.6% success rate, ranking first in the league. Although the Mavericks have a low clutch win rate this season, Flagg has contributed many go-ahead baskets, showing strong composure under pressure.

Flagg’s only current weakness is his outside shooting, with a season shooting percentage of just 23.4%. However, his free throw accuracy is 82.8%, so he does have shooting ability. His right-hand fingers have been wrapped for a long time, which might be affecting his shot.

Among the top rookie contenders, Flagg is the most versatile player this year, while Knuppel is the most accurate shooter. Recently, VJ has also gained momentum, so the Rookie of the Year race remains highly competitive.

Now that he is 19, Flagg’s first small goal should be to chase LeBron James’s record as the youngest player to reach 1,000 points. LeBron scored 1,000 points at 19 years and 41 days, and Flagg still has 20 games before reaching that age.

In 20 games, Flagg needs 474 points, which means averaging 23.7 points per game if he plays all the games. Given his recent form, as long as he maintains his health and continues this level, he has a strong chance of catching LeBron. Even if he falls just short, he will surpass Kobe to become the second youngest to reach 1,000 points.

LeBron’s youngest scoring record most likely to be broken is the 1,000-point mark, and Flagg is the closest player in many years to breaking it. The other youngest scoring records set by LeBron are much harder to surpass, since he averaged 27.2 points in his second season and 31.4 in his third, entering superstar territory early.

Of course, with Flagg’s terrifying ability to improve every month, who can truly predict his ceiling? Once he starts making three-pointers consistently, his impact on the court will reach a whole new level, and his future is limitless.