Duke University freshman forward Cooper Flagg, projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, has signed with New Balance, the apparel company announced Monday.
The deal, first reported by ESPN, will make Flagg one of New Balance’s signature athletes, and likely include a signature shoe. Flagg joins Kawhi Leonard, Jamal Murray and WNBA rookie Cameron Brink as one of New Balance’s basketball headliners.
“I grew up wearing New Balance and appreciate the authentic connection they have with our community,” Flagg said in a statement. “The brand’s focus and growth around basketball, along with our shared values and history, were what drew me to them. “It was clear from the beginning that this would be a family partnership, and I’m thrilled to join the family and help grow this category with young athletes.”
Cooper Flag, intelligent choice. pic.twitter.com/JvvvMM9lfm
— New Balance (@newbalance) August 26, 2024
For Flagg, choosing New Balance was as much a personal decision as it was a professional one. The five-star recruit, who won Gatorade Player of the Year, grew up just 25 miles from the New Balance manufacturing plant in Skowhegan, Maine.
Flagg’s mother, Kelly, took Flagg and his twin brother, Ace, to the factory’s annual tent sale before the start of each school year, where they bought new sneakers and backpacks. To promote Monday’s announcement, the company also filmed promotional content with Flagg in his hometown of Newport, Maine.
“Cooper adds so much to our basketball team, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the New Balance family,” Navin Lokesh, New Balance’s director of basketball sports marketing, said in a statement. “He is a force to be reckoned with on the court, and we look forward to building on our relationship as he grows in the game and supporting him in all his endeavors.”
Last season, Connecticut women’s star Paige Bueckers became the first college player to sign her own signature shoe contract after signing an NIL contract with Nike. Now, Flagg is the second, despite not playing a single minute for the Blue Devils.
Some college athletes have partnered with apparel companies during the NIL era. Adidas, for example, signed 15 female college athletes in the summer of 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. But this is still a relatively rare case for rising stars in sports.
Flagg hasn’t committed to college yet, but he fits the mold. Despite being reclassified to 2024, the 6-foot-9 forward remains the No. 1 recruit in the class and is expected to lead Duke in John Shayer’s third season as head coach. Duke is ranked No. 6. work out‘s preseason top 25 rankings.
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(Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
