WATCH: Cooper Flagg, Quinn Ewers and more college stars secure NIL deal with New Era Cap
On Wednesday, Duke star Cooper Flagg posted a video of his latest NIL collaboration with headwear company New Era Cap. The video shows him, along with several other star student-athletes like Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers and Notre Dame women’s basketball guard Hannah Hidalgo, wearing New Era caps from their respective schools.
Cooper Flagg is a New Era ambassador. His NIL deal was announced on New Era's webpage with the following caption:
“This star player from Newport, Maine is pledging to the Duke Brotherhood. Grab your hat and support his journey with New Era Cap,”
No financial details were released by either party. This is Flagg's second big deal with a sports apparel company, having signed a shoe deal with New Balance on August 26.
Despite not having played his first college game, he has already accrued $1.4 million in NIL deals. That makes him the highest-ranking college basketball player and seventh overall student-athlete in the NIL valuation rankings, per On3.
Cooper Flagg's deal with New Balance
Flagg spoke in late August with ESPN regarding his shoe deal with New Balance. Here's what he said to the sports network:
"The connection with New Balance as a family company and a company with Maine roots means a lot to me, that makes this really different and special. My mom used to go to the tent sale for back-to-school shopping there when we were kids. That really aligns the brand with my roots. It's a perfect fit."
"As a younger kid, I can think back to dreaming about things like this, it's an incredible opportunity, and I'm really blessed and grateful to be put in this position."
The sporting apparel giant is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. New Balance also has a factory in Skowhegan, Maine, 25 miles away from Flagg's hometown of Newport. Flagg, a 17-year-old, hasn't even played his first game of college basketball but is already expected to be a top pick for the 2025 NBA Draft and was a member of Team Select USA ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Cooper Flagg named preseason All-American
It is incredible how much impact Flagg has had, even before playing for the Duke Blue Devils. A sign of this is his naming by the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook as the Newcomer of the Year and the Preseason Second Team All-American. Cooper Flagg is the only underclassman named to a preseason All-American team this year.