Youngest NBA player to score 50 points
Earlier this season, the Houston Rockets acquired Kevin Porter Jr. Off-court issues led the Cleveland Cavaliers to trade their previous first-round pick, and the Rockets are grateful for doing so. In 22 games into the Rockets on Thursday, Porter is averaging 15.2 points and 6.2 assists. Those averages all rose on Thursday.
Houston’s sophomore guard had 50 points and 11 assists in the win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Unsurprisingly, at age 20, that makes Porter the youngest player ever to score 50 points in a Rockets uniform.
Porter is only the fourth 20-year-old to score 50 points in a game. LeBron James did it twice before his 21st birthday. So does Brandon Jennings, while Devin Booker holds an all-time 70-point record at age 20. With just a week to go until his 21st birthday, Porter is the oldest of the group.
James was previously the youngest player ever to have at least 10 assists in a 50-point game. He was 23 at the time. Potter was three years younger than him.
Only 13 players in NBA history have ever reached the 50-11 plateau. Seven of them have already entered the Hall of Fame: Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor, Tiny Archibald, Rick Barry and Rich Gaeling. Five others will head there: LeBron James, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard and Nikola Jokic. The floor is Stephen Marbury, a two-time All-NBA selection.
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