Duke’s Cooper Flagg lands historic NIL deal

NIL has changed many things for college athletes, and Duke’s Cooper Flag — the nation’s top 2024 recruit and the player many expect to be the No. 1 overall pick in the next NBA Draft — is already taking advantage.

It’s a big moment too for college hoopers. Flagg announced in a statement that he has signed a partnership with Gatorade. He became the first men’s college basketball player to sign an NIL deal with the iconic sports drink brand.

“This has been a big year for me on and off the court, and Gatorade has been there the whole way,” Flagg said in a statement, according to On3. “From being named the Gatorade Best Male Player of the Year to now officially joining the team, it’s been surreal to have my name mentioned with some of the biggest names in basketball. The Gatorade roster is iconic, and I’m excited to work with them as I take this next step.”    

Although Flagg is the first men’s college basketball player to be endorsed by Gatorade, the brand does have partnerships with several high-profile college athletes. That list includes USC’s Juju Watkins, Paige Bueckers from UConn and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.

“I feel really blessed and honored for the opportunity that has been given to me. I know for me, specifically, I’ve always drank Gatorade. Me and my brothers growing up, our mom would come back from the grocery store with a new case of Gatorade a couple times a week. That kind of connection makes it mean a little bit more,” Flagg said in an interview with Sports Illustrated.

Now that he has the endorsement, he has to now go prove it on the court at the college level. Few, if any, are betting against Flagg, though. He was the Gatorade National Player of the Year, National Player of the Year and a McDonald’s All-American as a senior in high school as he averaged 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.7 blocks per game as he led his high school to a perfect record and a national championship.