Cooper Flagg’s huge 49-point game draws Dwight Howard response

Cooper Flagg sent shockwaves through the NBA as the rookie had the best game of his season, scoring 49 points against the Charlotte Hornets. Though it resulted in a loss, it shows the work that Flagg has put in over the season, and it looks like he’s really figuring it out on the court.

Flagg received shoutouts from many people after the game, and even Hall of Famers, including Dwight Howard.

“49 points as a 19-year-old,” Howard said on the Pat McAfee Show. “That’s amazing to see. I know how hard it is to play at this level, and I’m so proud of the young kid. And Jason Kidd for taking a chance and putting him at the point guard position at a young age and letting him learn the game, and he’s just doing a great job, and I’m really proud of his growth and the effort that he’s playing with. Keep it up, young fella, keep it up.”

"Cooper Flagg with 49 points last night..

That's amazing to see and I'm so proud of him"@DwightHoward #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/I2I7VlJYzk

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 30, 2026

Howard only eclipsed 29 points in his rookie season, but he was also a center. Flagg was able to create his own shot and get to any spot he liked, while Howard probably had to wait until someone threw him the ball in the paint or he had to score off an offensive rebound.

Nonetheless, it’s good to see that a former player like Howard is giving props to the new generation, and it will be interesting to see what Flagg does for the remainder of the season.

After the game, Jason Kidd spoke about Flagg’s performance and let the media know what type of player he is.

“He’s not about numbers, he’s about wins and losses,” Kidd said. “That’s who he is. He competes to win… For a young man who thinks that way, he’s gonna be a champion sooner than later. He continues to keep working. For him to be out (with injury) then to be able to come back with this type of game… He’s just competitive and he tried to will his team into a win tonight.”

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