The incoming freshman at Nike-sponsored Duke is joining Kawhi Leonard, Tyrese Maxey, Jamal Murray, and more on the New Balance roster.
Cooper Flagg, the widely projected No. 1 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, has finalized a shoe deal with New Balance that will make him a future face of the company.
The massive multi-year deal negotiated by CAA is expected to include one NIL year during his expected lone collegiate season, as well as multiple NBA seasons as he begins his much-anticipated pro career.
“I grew up wearing New Balance, and I appreciate their authentic connection to my community,” said Flagg. “The focus and growth of the brand in basketball and our shared values and history drew me in.”
Flagg, his family, and his agents conducted brand presentation meetings earlier this summer in Los Angeles. Several companies offered north of seven figures per year, and some even included a signature shoe in their potential offers.
“Cooper adds so much to our basketball roster, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the New Balance family,” said Naveen Lokesh, New Balance Head of Basketball Sports Marketing. “He is a force to be reckoned with on the court, and we look forward to building our relationship as he grows the game and supporting him in all his endeavors.”
Earlier this month, the 17-year-old Duke-bound star became the first college player in a decade to be invited to participate with the USA Basketball Select Team, shining in preparatory scrimmages against the USA Men’s National Team that played in this summer’s Paris Olympics. He drew praise from the roster of Hall of Fame icon players just afterward.
In signing on with New Balance, there’s a potential to continue the brand’s literal footprint throughout the Northeast that the 6-10 power forward from Maine will be building on.
The brand’s headquarters in Boston is a three-hour drive south of Newport, his hometown. Future community activations are expected to take place throughout the region.
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There is also a narrative to build on with Flagg being a future star of USA Basketball and New Balance continuing to lead the way in domestic manufacturing amongst top athletic brands, with its “Made in America” footwear factories based in Lawrence and Methuen, Massachusetts.
The New Balance Skowhegan manufacturing facility is also just 25 miles from his hometown. Cooper’s mom would take he and his brother to the annual Skowhegan back-to-school tent sale each summer to buy their new shoes for the school year.
At every stage of his prep career to date, Flagg has showcased his potential as a future NBA franchise player who can impact winning.
He has starred on one of the most talented high school rosters in recent years at Montverde Academy, cashed clutch shots down the stretch of the SLAM Summer Classic Game at famed Rucker Park, and displayed his all-around versatility and two-way game at events such as the Nike Hoop Summit, Curry Camp, and McDonald’s All-American Game.
Flagg was named the 2024 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year to close out his high school career. Along the way, Flagg has organically grown a social media following of more than 750,000 on Instagram with a mostly measured approach to posting that can be further accelerated and amplified as he takes on an expected full slate of NIL and pro endorsement deals through his representation at CAA.
Since relaunching its Basketball division in 2018, the privately owned New Balance has experienced a resurgent rise in the footwear industry — nearly doubling its annual revenue from $3.3 billion in 2020 to $6.5 billion in 2023.
The retro 550 silhouette has a chokehold on the lifestyle lane, while its partnership with Aimé Leon Dore has further established the brand in streetwear. The company has also launched new products and activations for stars from a variety of sports, including Coco Gauff, Kawhi Leonard, Cameron Brink, and Shohei Ohtani.
Additional NBA endorsers who have helped validate New Balance on the court include Tyrese Maxey, Jamal Murray, Dejounte Murray, Zach LaVine, Aaron Nesmith, and Darius Bazley.
Now, with the nation’s new NIL rules allowing for earlier negotiations with top prospects before they turn pro, New Balance adds one of the most anticipated NBA players in years to its roster with Cooper Flagg.
“From day one, it was clear that this would be a family-like partnership,” added Flagg. “I’m so excited to join this family and help them grow the category with young athletes.”
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