Image Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

Cooper Flagg Likely to Earn Half of His NIL Earnings During NBA Rookie Season

Cooper Flagg is the projected no. 1 overall pick in NBA 2025 Draft.

Image Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

Former Duke Blue Devils superstar Cooper Flagg is expected to earn half the amount of his NIL earnings during his debut season in the NBA. Flagg is undoubtedly one of the biggest names who took collegiate basketball by storm during his lone season in 2024-25. The 18-year-old, who finished his college career with an average of 19.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 4.2 apg, is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Drafts 2025.

While Flagg is expected to take the league by a storm, sports journalist Howard Bryant revealed that his earnings will see a major shift when he steps into the professional world. Bryant said that Flagg’s NIL earnings amounted to around $28 million. The amount included big contracts from top brands including a $13 million deal with New Balance and a $15 million deal with Fanatics.

Cooper Flagg made MORE money from NIL deals than he'll make as an NBA rookie 🤯

In his lone season at Duke, Flagg signed NIL deals worth $28 million just from Fanatics and New Balance alone (per ESPN journalist Howard Bryant)

💰 Fanatics: $15 million
💰 New Balance: $13 million… pic.twitter.com/AerlAJkTKt
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 11, 2025

Difference Between Flagg’s NIL Earnings and NBA Salary

As stated, the Blue Devils star is expected to join the Dallas Mavericks, and would most likely sign a four-year rookie contract estimated at $62.7 million. He is expected to earn $13.8 million in his first year, which is almost half of the amount he earned in college. The figure clearly shows how NIL has transformed college sports, enabling young players like Flagg to earn more than their professional contracts while being in college.

The ever popularity of NIL deals and their growing significance is the reason the athletes are choosing to stay in college rather than declaring for the NBA Draft.

Cooper Flagg

Garima Ranawat

Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.