Cooper Flagg may not have won a championship in his only season at Duke, but the experience was definitely worth this time–and seemingly a lot of money.
In the NIL era, high-profile college athletes are now able to secure significant compensation for their skills. For Flagg, the big bucks came through a pair of endorsement deals, according to longtime sports writer Howard Bryant.
The topic of NIL came up during a recent conversation between Bryant and Bob Costas as the 92nd Street Y in New York City. That’s when Bryant, a columnist for ESPN, dropped the apparent bombshell that Flagg made over $20 million with the Blue Devils this past season.
“How much money do you think Cooper Flagg made this year for one year at Duke?” Bryant asked.
“I don’t know, but it was a lot,” Costas replied.
“I know,” Bryant said, before Costas asked him for the number.
“Twenty-eight million,” Bryant responded. “He had a $13 million deal with New Balance and then $15 million with Fanatics.”
It’s unlikely that any party involved–Flagg, New Balance or Fanatics–is going to confirm the terms of their agreements. However, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski did report last August when Flagg’s New Balance deal was announced that the contract was “significant.”
Flagg wore Nike throughout his one year at Duke, as the Blue Devils are sponsored by the Swoosh, but he’s been wearing New Balance throughout the NBA Draft process and will continue doing so once his pro career officially begins.
Flagg signed his deal with Fanatics, another multiyear partnership, back in January. Terms were not disclosed.
The consensus top-rated recruit in the 2024 class, Flagg was named national player of the year as he led Duke to the ACC regular season and tournament titles and a trip to the Final Four.
He is expected to the No. 1 overall pick of the Dallas Mavericks at the NBA Draft later this month.
