Cooper Flagg Made $28M From NIL At Duke, 25 Times Starting NBA Salary

As the biggest star in college basketball and arguably all of college athletics, Cooper Flagg was bound to be toward the top of the list of earners from NIL deals.

Longtime sports journalist Howard Bryant revealed on 92nd Street Y in New York City during a sitdown with Bob Costas that Flagg earned $28 million from NIL deals during his lone season at Duke. $12 million from Flagg’s deal with New Balance and $15 million from a deal with Fanatics.

Flagg signed with New Balance before being drafted, making him one of the brand’s signature stars.

Flagg’s estimated NIL evaluation was believed to be around $5 million, a number that would remain the highest in college basketball. According to Bryant, however, Flagg was making more than five times that amount.

The minimum salary in the NBA is a little over $1.1 million. Flagg was making over 25 times that.

Fans have shown concern about the lack of regulation associated with NIL. Costas had a different stance on these deals.

“Something that used to always bother me when this conversation was going on before NIL, people would say, ‘Everybody is profiting off of this except for the athletes,” Costas said.

As a Freshman at Duke, Flagg averaged 19.2 points and 7.2 rebounds. He helped lead the Blue Devils to the Final Four.

Flagg is expected to be drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the first overall pick in the NBA draft, where many believe he will become one of the faces of the NBA.