It was never a secret that Duke basketball freshman phenom Cooper Flagg was in for a massive NIL payday once he committed to Duke, as the former No. 1 overall recruit was one of the more hyped-up prospects of the last two decades.
However, the amount of money that the rookie sensation made while with the Blue Devils has been revealed, and it's pretty unbelievable.
Howard Bryant, a well-known sports journalist and author, recently had a sit-down conversation with Bob Costas in New York City at The 92nd Street Y, and the pair discussed Flagg's valuation.
During the conversation, Howard revealed the number Flagg made as a freshman at Duke, and the answer resulted in an audible gasp from the event's audience.
"$28 million," Bryant revealed as the number the Blue Devil sensation earned in one year with Duke. "He had a $13 million deal with New Balance and then $15 million with Fanatics."
Now, Flagg's deal with New Balance is a multi-year contract, so that number is likely given in totality. Still, Flagg became one of New Balance's signature new athletes ahead of his first season in the NBA.
Along with his NIL valuation from Duke alone, which On3 reported was around $4.8 million, the highest in college basketball, Flagg earned a substantial amount with just one year of college basketball. And keep in mind, he entered the college game as a 17-year-old. Flagg didn't even turn 18 years old until December.
Regardless of the insane amount of money that Flagg was able to earn through one year of college basketball, it's hard to say it wasn't fully earned with his play. The Maine native was the best player in college basketball as he took home the Naismith National Player of the Year award. Flagg also won ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC Player of the Year while leading the Blue Devils in all five major statistical categories.
Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.4 steals a night for the Blue Devils en route to leading the program to a Final Four appearance.
As a lock to be the first overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft, Flagg will now add much more to his already loaded paycheck as a future member of the Dallas Mavericks.