Duke freshman forward Cooper Flagg has signed a deal with New Balance, projected to make him a signature athlete for the apparel company. The company announced the deal on Monday after it was initially reported by ESPN. As one of New Balance’s signature athletes, Flagg will join other basketball stars such as Kawhi Leonard, Jamal Murray, and WNBA rookie Cameron Brink. Flagg expressed his excitement and pride to be part of the New Balance family, an association born out of a connection to his community and shared values and history with the brand.
Along with being a professional decision for Flagg, the choice to partner with New Balance was also a personal one. The reigning Gatorade National Player of the Year and a five-star recruit, Flagg grew up in close proximity to New Balance’s manufacturing plant in Skowhegan, Maine, just 25 miles from his hometown of Newport. This close association was marked by an annual tradition where Flagg’s mother Kelly would take him and his twin brother to the factory’s tent sale to buy new sneakers and backpacks before the start of each school year.
Naveen Lokesh, the Head of Basketball Sports Marketing at New Balance, expressed the company’s joy in welcoming Flagg. He praised the promising young star for being a force on the court and stated their eagerness to build their relationship as he ascends in his career. Lokesh also mentioned the company’s keenness to support him in all future endeavors.
Cooper Flagg is the second college athlete to sign such a deal, the first being Connecticut women’s basketball star Paige Bueckers who inked an NIL contract with Nike last season and became the first college athlete with a signature shoe deal. Despite not having played a single minute for the Blue Devils yet, this move has solidified Flagg’s stature among the likes of athletes who made history in the NIL era, with some becoming brand endorsers.
Flagg’s partnership with New Balance emphasizes how college athletes are changing the game for sports endorsements. They’re leveraging their on-court performance and potential to secure lucrative deals, a trend that’s becoming more common but is still relatively rare. Examples include Adidas signing 15 female collegians in the summer of 2022, in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Title IX. But such deals are still mostly reserved for top rising stars in the world of sports.
Indeed, Flagg, despite not having debuted in college yet, fits that bill perfectly given his impressive track record. Despite reclassifying up to 2024, he maintained the No. 1 recruiting ranking in the class and is anticipated to lead the Duke team in Jon Scheyer’s third season as head coach. Duke is currently standing at No. 6 in The Athletic’s preseason top-25 rankings.
