This year has been wonderful for Duke forward Cooper Flagg, the top prospect in ESPN’s 2025 NBA draft class. From being a part of Team USA’s training sessions and now a major milestone has been recorded with his latest endorsement deal, all without even stepping out for his college basketball team.
Cooper Flagg shunned other big brands to sign a significant shoe endorsement deal with New Balance. The 17-year-old Flagg joined the brand due to its ties to his home state of Maine, where it has a manufacturing factory.
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.
Cooper Flagg spoke to ESPN about the deal
His post-season saw him become the lone college player and teenager invited to Team USA’s pre-Olympic training camp in Las Vegas, where he scrimmaged against the United States’ gold-medal-winning roster. Furthermore, his impressive performance earned him recognition as one of the top young players in the country.
In a twist of events, the endorsement deal is made possible by recent changes in name, image, and likeness rules, which allow elite prospects like Flagg to sign endorsement deals. Notably, New Balance has a history of partnering with top young prospects across sports, including tennis star Coco Gauff and Philadelphia 76ers young guard Tyrese Maxey.
Cooper Flagg made history with Team USA training invitation
When Cooper Flagg received an invitation to practice with Team USA ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics he acknowledged that he was pretty surprised about it. As the projected top pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, he joined 15 other USA Select Team players to train with an Olympic roster featuring LeBron James and Stephen Curry.
His performance was so good that it earned the praise of NBA veteran and Team USA record scorer Kevin Durant. Aside, from the praise from KD, he stunned the experienced duo of Boston Celtics’ Jrue Holiday and Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis.
Furthermore, Flagg’s experience with Team USA could put him on track for a spot on the roster for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. This was not his first rodeo as he already represented the U.S. at the 2022 FIBA U17 Men’s World Cup and 2024 Nike Hoop Summit.
