Cooper Flagg will have an impact that will rival that of former Duke superstar Zion Williamson, at least as projected by sports investor Joe Pompliano.
In his YouTube channel The Pomp Show, Pompliano likened the popularity and reach of Duke freshman Cooper Flagg to Zion Williamson, highlighting the former’s NIL deals. He recalled how the popularity of Flagg can be compared to that of Williamson, who attracted audiences, boosted travel and even celebrity engagement.
“For example, the school added 358,000 Instagram followers during his time there more than all other college basketball programs combined during that time,” Pompliano said.
“On3 has Flagg’s NIL valuation listed at $2.6 million in potential earnings this year and that makes Cooper Flagg the country’s fifth most valuable college athlete behind guys like Shedeur Sanders and Arch Manning,” he added.
NIL deals were not yet a thing during the time of Zion Williamson, but recent court cases awarded him more than $1 million in damages. Industry experts agree that Williamson would have profited in millions had he had NIL deals during the peak of his college popularity.
In college sports, a NIL deal, which is short for “name, image, and likeness,” is a way for popular college athletes to monetize their success and popularity by entering deals with brands and businesses to use their image in branding and marketing campaigns.
While this is nothing new, the number of college athletes going for this route has been increasing, with industry analysts calling the present time “the NIL era” of college sports.
Cooper Flagg Makes History in College Basketball and NIL Deals
As NIL deals slowly take center stage in college basketball, Cooper Flagg makes history as the first men’s basketball player to sign with Gatorade for a NIL deal. The sports drink brand, which has been a staple sponsor in major sporting events like the NBA, will use his likeness in its marketing and promotional campaigns.
“Cooper is an incredible talent who quickly emerged as one of the best young athletes in the nation, and we know he has a bright future ahead of him,” said Jeff Kearney, global head of sports marketing at Gatorade, in a statement. “At Gatorade, we work with the best of the best, so we’re proud to welcome Cooper to the family and are excited to be fueling him as his collegiate career begins.”
Cooper Flagg has acquired all of his NIL deals way ahead of making his first regular season with Duke. He is set to play for the Blue Devils for this upcoming season.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
