It’s rare for a college prospect to be labeled an NBA success before having stepped into either setting. But if the man in question is Cooper Flagg, his upside is that glaringly obvious. The top recruiters lined up for him eventually Duke winning the race. Furthermore, major brands such as New Balance have signed him, escalating his NIL valuation to a staggering $1.4 million. For the decorated basketball phantom that he is, it’s a mark he deserves and has earned. However, Trae Young has outlined some alarming concerns regarding the lucrative deals.

As a guest on the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast, the Hawks ace reflected on his own overlooked journey in college. Young chose to play for Oklahoma, his home team at a time when the concept of NILs didn’t exist. Does he ponder over the excruciating money he could have made? Yes. But Young thinks it benefitted him more because it allowed his strive and thirst to make it to the NBA intensify.

“Like, kids don’t necessarily, I mean, have that same hunger. I feel like for me, like, in kids in my class and even younger generation players, like, I feel like we were just fighting to get to the league…We weren’t focused on money in college because we knew we worked our a** off that one day it was gonna come regardless,” Trae Young explained.

With the NIL deals, college athletes get an early experience of the professional world. They are rewarded for their sporting excellence. Yet at the same time, Young fears it could become a game of making money rather than reaching the destined goal of achieving the peak of their respective profession.

“I feel like now kids are gonna choose the money instead of, I mean, what school fits them best to to ultimately help them achieve their dreams again to the NBA… The coaches are probably running down what they can do for them on the court and all these things. But then at the end of the conversations, they’re probably asking them, hey so what’s the money part?” he said of the drawback of NILs.

As a top-rated prospect, Trae Young too had big colleges such as Kentucky make an offer. However, the reason he chose his home team was understandably to stay close but also because he felt he could attain “freedom” and fully master his skills. For smaller colleges today, it’s almost impossible to pitch to high-profile prospects. They simply don’t have the money.

Even Cooper Flagg chose Duke, one of the best and most recognized colleges in the country. But as lucrative as the deals he signs are, Flagg is equally if not more focused on his own game.

Cooper Flagg hasn’t lost his main objective

A disadvantage of NIL deals is that there now college selection has become just like the NBA. Money plays a major factor. Big schools attract large crowds, allowing revered prospects to grow their image early. It can dissuade some from the aim of improving their mechanics. But with Cooper Flagg, it doesn’t seem to be a cause for worry.

At 6’9″, the Duke commit is polished in most facets of the game. He has surreal instincts coupled with the ferocity to rise to the occasion. At Montverde, he staked his position as a juggernaut, putting up nearly 17 points per contest. Additionally, he was part of the Team USA Select Team where he managed to turn heads. The Olympic players praised the teenager, advocating for his immense skill and potential.

“He wants to be great,” Booker said of the 17-year-old.

That’s the sign of a man who is concerned with only one goal, to be the best basketball player he can be. With Duke, he seems to be a natural fit. His appeal coincides with the program’s facilities and esteem.

It provides him with the rightful analytics to hone his already elite skills while developing key attributes he will require to prevail in the NBA. With Flagg in particular, fame and NIL valuation should be the last concern. His performances speak for his remarkable work ethic and mission to constantly upgrade his talent.

But in a general argument, Trae Young’s concerns do hold some weight. After all, money can drastically alter a mindset.