Cooper Flagg has a new pregame-and-in-game ritual, and it comes with peanut butter and jelly. The Mavericks’ second-year star went for 25 points, 12 assists, 5 rebounds and a steal in a 130-93 blowout of the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night, then explained why he was eating a PB&J on the bench for the second straight game, per ClutchPoints.
The answer: he’s trying to get bigger. Flagg credited the Mavs’ strength and medical staff and said he’s trying to “put on some weight & keep gaining muscle.” He added, “Those are requirements I gotta meet & I’m just trying to stay ahead of it.”
The IAHHM Take
Look at the efficiency first. Flagg did all that in 28 minutes, shooting 8-of-13 from the field, 3-of-5 from three and a perfect 6-of-6 at the line. He also put Noah Clowney on a poster. Kyrie Irving chipped in 21, and Dallas moved to 6-4.
The 12 assists are the real headline. A 19-year-old forward running the offense like a lead guard is the kind of thing that makes front offices nervous across the league. Add the snack talk, and you’ve got a kid who is already thinking about the 82-game grind like a vet.
Carolina fans know this story. Flagg spent one season at Duke before heading to Dallas, and Tobacco Road watched him go from hyped freshman to franchise centerpiece. Now he’s turning the most basic lunchbox sandwich into a talking point. Don’t be surprised if PB&J sales in DFW tick up a little.
For more Carolina hoops talk, check out our Carolina Game Day rundown.
Is Flagg already a top-25 player in the league, or are we getting ahead of ourselves? Sound off.
Source: ClutchPoints
