College athletes are earning their worth with name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals on the rise. While it has changed the sports scenario in the education setting, and not every coach likes it, the lure of it is undeniable. And as usual, Cooper Flagg is changing the game on and off the court.

Front Office Sports just announced that the Duke freshman has become the first men’s college basketball athlete to sign an NIL deal with $233 billion worth PepsiCo’s brand Gatorade. This comes on the heels of another exclusive deal for Flagg with New Balance, the sports apparel brand finding its roots in Flagg’s home state of Maine.

In a statement, the 6-9 guard-forward said, “For me, it was a huge opportunity coming from a family that drank Gatorade pretty much my whole life. I grew up with my brothers drinking Gatorade almost every day. So I think having that kind of connection and then just aligning myself with the brand that is very high level and about the right stuff and does it the right way.”

Also named Gatorade’s 2024 Best Male Player of the Year, Flagg was also the National High School Player of the Year after spending his senior year in Florida. Averaging 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.7 blocks, and 1.6 steals and shooting 55.1% from the field, the 17-year-old is a highly anticipated addition to a team that is already the preseason favorite to win the ACC.

Having grown up on the drink as an athlete, Flagg also expressed what it means to have joined hands with the brand. And that too along with an already packed roster of college athletes. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, he also answered the question his NIL signing brought forth to our minds first and foremost.

Lemon Lime or Cool Blue? Cooper Flagg makes an important declaration

There are few things more American than Gatorade, and much like choosing a favorite flavor in Pop-Tarts and soda is important, so it goes for the sports drink. When SI asked Cooper Flagg, he made easy choices, “I’d say Lemon Lime [is his favorite], with Cool Blue as my second.”

The player who shone on the US Select Team in July playing against the Olympic team is ready for the next level of basketball. Of course, rise in fame and honing his skills will bring along more attention, and these major deals are only the beginning. Flagg sees becoming the first NCAA basketball player on the men’s side to sign a deal as a huge “blessing.”

On the women’s side, there have been Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers and most recently, JuJu Watkins. And in football, there is Shedeur Sanders. As for joining this stacked roster, the Duke freshman says, “Watching them, they’re changing women’s sports. Being alongside them on the Gatorade roster is really cool to me and kind of surreal at the same time. Because, yeah, they’re really changing the game. It’s really cool.”

Just like he is making strides in the NIL world, the Blue Devils loyalists would want him to do the same on the floor. The tip-off for the new NCAA season is set for Nov. 4 and basketball fans cannot wait to see Cooper Flagg in action. And Gatorade and New Balance are just the beginning!