Duke Freshman Cooper Flagg Makes History With NIL Deal With Gatorade

The Duke Blue Devils star became the first men's college basketball player to sign an NIL deal with the iconic brand.

Duke Blue Devils freshman Cooper Flagg became the first men's college basketball player to sign with Gatorade. / Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Duke Blue Devils freshman star Cooper Flagg made history on Tuesday morning, as he became the first men's college basketball player to sign an NIL deal with Gatorade, the brand announced.

The announcement of Flagg's NIL deal comes just under a week away from his regular season debut, when the Blue Devils host Maine to kick off the 2024 season on Monday, Nov. 4. Flagg, who is Gatorade's 2024 Best Male Player of the Year, joins an already-loaded lineup of Gatorade college athletes, including UConn Huskies women's basketball star Paige Bueckers, USC Trojans women's basketball star Juju Watkins and Colorado Buffaloes starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

Flagg also joins a host of former Gatorade National Basketball Players of the Year that have become longstanding athlete representatives for the brand, including retired women's basketball star Candace Parker, Boston Celtics All-NBA wing Jayson Tatum, WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark, UConn's Bueckers, USC's Watkins and New York Knicks forward Karl-Anthony Towns.

Flagg, who has yet to play his first college basketball game, is widely expected to become an NBA lottery pick in 2025 and potentially the top overall selection. He was one of the most sought after high school basketball prospects in recent history and his inclusion on Duke's roster has the Blue Devils as one of the preseason favorites to contend for a national title.

---

More of the Latest Sports News

feed