Cooper Flag’s multi-millions before even stepping into the NBA

Cooper Flagg (18 years old, 6ft 9in) is expected to be selected by the Dallas Mavericks as the No 1 pick in the NBA draft, barring any last-minute surprises. The first round will take place on Wednesday, June 25, with the second following a day later on Thursday, June 26. That’s the forecast. That’s the bet.

There’s little risk of getting it wrong. The power forward from Newport, Maine, is one of those rare white swans who only come around once in a while in the NBA – a player seen as generational. In his first (and only) season in the NCAA, he averaged 21.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists across 20 regular-season ACC games with Duke.

He’s just the fourth freshman in the past 25 seasons of Division I basketball to average at least 20 points per game while shooting 50% from the field and 40% from three-point range. The other three names? Kevin Durant (Texas), CJ McCollum (Lehigh) and Michael Beasley (Kansas State).

His impact hasn’t just been felt on the court. It’s also been seismic in the world of advertising. According to Howard Bryant, Flagg reportedly signed endorsement deals worth close to $30m during his rookie season. Specifically, $28m split across two major sponsors: “He had one deal worth $13m with New Balance and another for $15m with Fanatics,” the veteran sports journalist told Bob Costas in an interview (51:15 mark).

NBA rookie financial scale

There’s some uncertainty as to whether that figure is for a single year (unlikely) or spread across multiple seasons (far more probable). What is clear, though, is that the eight-figure sum blows apart the $4.8m valuation offered by On3 for Flagg’s potential NIL earnings (NIL stands for Name, Image and Likeness – rights that, since 2022, allow college athletes to sign sponsorships and earn income from their image and brand).

Being drafted No 1 will bring in a staggering amount of money too. According to the NBA rookie salary scale, the top pick signs a five-year deal worth $67.8m. The first two years – $10.4m and $10.9m – are guaranteed. The third and fourth seasons are team options, with salaries of $11.5m and $14.5m respectively (a 26% increase year over year). The fifth and final year is a qualifying offer worth $20.3m – a 40% jump from year four.

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