One of basketball’s brightest upcoming stars is getting a bag before he’s even played his first college game.
Duke star Cooper Flagg, who’s already highly expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, has signed an endorsement deal with New Balance, per ESPN.
Here are the details on Flagg’s deal with New Balance, plus the 17-year-old Duke star’s current net worth and hometown.
Cooper Flagg-New Balance contract details
While the ESPN report didn’t yet unveil the numbers on Flagg’s new shoe deal, it did call it “significant” — which would be expected for such a massive young name in the sport.
In the company’s press release, Head of Basketball Sports Marketing Naveen Lokesh detailed what bringing Flagg on board means to New Balance.
“Cooper adds so much to our basketball roster, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the New Balance family,” Lokesh said in the release. “He is a force to be reckoned with on the court, and we look forward to building our relationship as he grows the game and supporting him in all his endeavors.”
After the announcement, New Balance also posted a new commercial featuring Flagg. In it, Flagg is shooting hoops in a backyard, then receives a newspaper that says: “Cooper Flagg, The Intelligent Choice.”
Cooper Flagg, The Intelligent Choice. pic.twitter.com/JvvvMM9lfm
— New Balance (@newbalance) August 26, 2024
Duke has a sponsorship deal with Nike, so it's unclear how that will work now that Flagg partnered with New Balance.
What is Cooper Flagg's net worth?
While Flagg’s net worth is not fully known, his NIL deals were valued at $1.4 million as of July 16, according to Bangor Daily News. That mark does not include his new deal with New Balance, so that number is even higher now.
Flagg, who showed out playing against Team USA with the Select Team before the 2024 Paris Olympics began, had the seventh-highest NIL valuation in all of college athletics as of July, per the Bangor Daily News piece.
As the NIL landscape has shifted college athletics, he is among the NCAA’s top earners, even with his total net worth unclear.
Even before Duke’s season starts, the 6-foot-9 wing will be heavily-favored to be the NBA’s next No. 1 selection, similar to how Zion Williamson, Victor Wembanyama and more created early buzz in recent years.
Where is Cooper Flagg from?
Flagg is from Newport, Maine. New Balance has a strong presence in his home state, as it has a manufacturing factory around 25 miles away from his hometown.
The decision to join the shoe company over likely competitors like Nike, Adidas or Under Armour stemmed from that Maine connection, according to Flagg.
"The connection with New Balance as a family company and a company with Maine roots means a lot to me," Flagg told ESPN. "That makes this really different and special. My mom used to go to the tent sale for back-to-school shopping there when we were kids. That really aligns the brand with my roots. It's a perfect fit."
The play of Flagg, a 5-star prospect from Montverde Academy, will be among the biggest storylines of the 2024-25 college basketball season.