Cooper Flagg may end up taking a pay cut by going to the NBA.
The Duke superstar one-and-done swingman reportedly cashed in for $28 million in Name, Image and License deals during his lone season playing for the Blue Devils.
Flagg, who won the Naismith national player of the year and helped Duke reach the Final Four for the first time under coach Jon Scheyer, was a spokesperson for New Balance, Gatorade and other brands while playing for Duke.
He also signed a multi-year deal with Fanatics for his merchandise and likeness to appear on Topps-brand basketball cards, both from Duke and when he inevitably is chosen first overall at the 2025 NBA Draft next month in Brooklyn.
Flagg is almost certain to be selected by the Dallas Mavericks, who won the draft lottery earlier this month. As the No. 1 overall pick, Flagg will be eligible to make $62-plus million over four seasons for his rookie contract, or more than $15.5 million annually, according to Spotrac.
How Did Cooper Flagg Make $28 Million in NIL Deals?
Flagg was probably the most successful one-and-done player since the NBA began mandating at least one year of post-high school play in 2006.
Still, most conservative estimates had Flagg’s income at $5 million for his NIL deals. That figure would would have made him the second-best compensated college athlete behind University of Texas quarterback Arch Manning, whose estimated NIL deals total about $6.5 million.
But the figure was reported by ESPN reporter Howard Bryant, who was doing a panel with legendary sports broadcaster Bob Costas at the 92nd Street YMCA in New York. The crowd in attendance gasped when Bryant revealed Flagg’s NIL number, and so did Costas.
“He had a $13 million deal with New Balance and then a $15 million deal with Fanatics,” Bryant said.
Did Cooper Flagg Actually Make $28 Million in NIL Money at Duke?
Whether Flagg raked in the full $28 million while in college depends on the contracts, and we won’t be able to see those.
But when you consider the fact Flagg actually had more endorsement deals than those Bryant referenced — he stumped product for Gatorade, and his mom Kelly has been doing endorsements for Dr. Scholl’s orthotics — and Bryant’s reported number on Flagg’s money could be low.
But more likely, Flagg did not rake in nearly $30 million in endorsement money at Duke. He may have signed $13 million and $15 million contracts with New Balance and Fanatics, respectively, but the Fanatics deal was over multiple years, as was his shoe contract with New Balance as well.
Aside from Flagg, NIL deals have been a huge boon for basketball players, especially women’s basketball players. Caitlin Clark made about $4 million in NIL money, and Flau’jae Johnson has raked in about $1.5 million in NIL money thanks to rap-music deals and an equity share of the Unrivaled league.
Hence, why Costas believes it’s a great time for women to play college sports.
“It’s more profitable for a female college-basketball player to stay in college and collect the NIL [money],” Costas said. “For the time being, the top salary in the WNBA is like $75,000.”
