Can Cooper Flagg wear Nike at Duke?
Cooper Flagg entered the college circuit as the best player in the nation, after rejecting offers from programs like Kansas, Michigan, UCLA, UConn and more.
Even before joining his Duke teammates for practice this summer, he laced up against Team USA’s Olympic crew as a Select Team member. Flagg made the most of the stint, going head-to-head against players like Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday and more.
Moreover, even before stepping in his first collegiate game, Flagg struck a deal with industry giants like Gatorade and New Balance, making him the first men’s college basketball athlete to do so. However, the Blue Devils is a Nike school.
With that, let’s look into Cooper Flagg’s restrictions around his daily kicks, especially in light of his endorsement deal with New Balance.
Despite his New Balance endorsement, Cooper Flagg will wear Nike while playing for Duke Blue Devils
In August, Flagg chose New Balance to fulfill his desire to give back to his home. The shoe and apparel brand is a Boston-based company with one of its factories near Maine, Flagg’s hometown.
At the same time, Duke has an ongoing contract with Nike, which makes it the exclusive and official supplier of the program’s uniforms, footwear, equipment and other merchandise. The contract runs through 2027.
With that, Cooper Flagg will have to comply with the university's ties with Nike and rep the swoosh logo during his time at Duke. It includes trainers, shooting tees, warm-up gear, tracks, socks and compressions.
Here is an image from Duke's Nov. 4 game against Maine Black Bears showcasing Flagg wearing Nike sneakers, socks and compressions:
Off the court, Flagg can go all in on donning New Balance. He will also continue to headline ads, interviews, exclusive features and social media campaigns with the brand.
Cooper Flagg is already assumed to take up the first pick in the 2025 NBA draft. His deal with NB can be a game-changer for the brand as more than 60% of NBA players currently don Nike or the Jordan brand.
With that, there is a possibility New Balance can eventually gain more than what it is losing due to Nike and Duke's partnership.
Interestingly, Boston College, one of Duke's conference rivals, is the only current Division I program to partner with New Balance. The two schools are slated to face each other on Jan. 18, 2025.