Cooper Flagg has been making waves in the NCAA, and now the young star is making waves in the business world. The Duke forward just signed a lucrative deal with Fanatics. If you’re not aware, Fanatics is a sports apparel, collectibles, and fan gear company, and it is a big deal!

Michael Rubin founded the Florida-based company in 2021, and Fanatics/Topps is now valued at over $31 billion. The e-commerce aficionado made sure that Fanatics prospered in its collaboration with sports teams. Recently, Fanatics acquired Topps and Mitchell & Ness on an ongoing expansion strategy. Fanatics has signed some of the biggest athletes in every league across America. NBA stars Dwyane Wade, Vince Carter, Jayson Tatum, and Chris Paul are all Fanatics exclusive athletes.

Flagg’s deal includes memorabilia and trading cards, allowing his likeness and autographs to be used. The Blue Devils star has been featured on Topps Now cards, which are print-to-order, and an official line of merchandise is also set to launch soon. With Flagg being a candidate for NPOY honors this year, one can expect a good profit from such a deal.

And NFL legend Tom Brady seems quite appreciative of Cooper’s move. He responded positively to the signing by reposting it on his Instagram story with a word of appreciation. The retired footballer is also a Fanatics signee and has attended their promotional event, Fanatics Fest, as well.

Brady, in his story, said “Yessssss” in response to Cooper Flagg signing with the merch and collectibles company. Needless to say, the new line of cards and collectibles has fans excited! Fanatics revealed Cooper Flagg’s first signed Bowman card, which is a pre-rookie card and a very important collectible item, has received quite a favorable response!

It will be interesting to see what route Fanatics will take while producing Cooper Flagg-related content, and how their retail value will hold up in the future. One thing is for certain, though—Flagg is definitely doing it all.

Cooper Flagg’s NIL success

We know what Cooper Flagg is doing on the court for Duke, but what about his off-court efforts? The six-foot-nine forward from Montverde Academy has made full use of his popularity. And it shows in his NIL dealings. According to On3 player rankings, Flagg ranks 4th overall in all sports for NIL valuations. He is currently valued at $4.4 million, falling under Arch Manning, Shedeur Sanders, and Carson Beck. Cooper Flagg is also the highest-valued basketball player on the list.

But where does all of this money come from?

A large chunk of Cooper’s NIL valuation stems from his multi-year, multi-million dollar shoe deal with New Balance. Flagg’s partnership with NB is valued in NIL at $1.4 million. The Duke forward has also partnered with entities like Gatorade, Epic Games, New Era, and more.

Not only is he performing on the court, the Maine Event is succeeding outside of it as well!

With his on-court success increasing every day, we can expect his valuation to increase as well. The new deal with Fanatics comes right after Cooper Flagg’s awe-inspiring 42 pt performance, and will definitely add to his NIL valuation. If he keeps dominating for the Blue Devils, good things will come Flagg’s way.