Men’s basketball has been raking in the second-most NIL deals over the past year at 15.4%. Among the biggest beneficiaries? The likes of Cooper Flagg. The Duke freshman has steadily gone up the rankings to latch onto the no.1 spot ever since he started the season. There’s competition all over, including the new addition of a millionaire in one of Purdue’s guards, but the Blue Devil is proving to be quite a task to reach.

Averaging 16.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 8.6 assists per game Purdue’s Braden Smith has been one of the top earners of the program for a while now. He ranked third in NIL Store’s top earning male athletes of 2024. He once again came in the top 6 for the month of December and he is showing no signs of stopping.

His 10-week NIL growth shows a 134% increase, meaning a total of $898k, bringing his total to $1.6 million. Smith’s rise from a three-star high school recruit to one of the most marketable players in college basketball is nothing short of remarkable. Going from an average of 9.7 points in his freshman year to 16.4 now, the guard’s NIL deals only stand justified. HEYDUDE Shoes, Purdue NIL Store, Boilermaker Alliance, Trueblood Real Estate, Westfield Basketball, and Versiti Blood Center of Indiana all make up for the resume that rank Smith 42nd on On3 NIL Top 100 list.

On the other hand, Copper Flagg, his competition in the National Player of the Year race, is going on a pace of his own.

The Duke Blue Devil who had ranked 8th in NIL Store’s 2024 top earners, jumped to #2 for the month of December and first in basketball. Though he only saw a 11% increase in the 10-week growth, amounting to $455k, Flagg continues to occupy the #1 in college basketball and 2 overall, with a valuation of a whopping $4.7 million. Helping the Blue Devils to 20-2 and leading the NOPY race only seem to make the case stronger for the freshman guard.

Flagg lets his game do the talk!

First things first, Cooper Flagg is no ordinary player! He’s on course to be drafted as the first pick in the upcoming draft and he has been comfortably the best player in the country this season. His Duke Blue Devils are one of the favorites to win the NCAA tournament and he has numbers to back him as well!

Cooper Flagg is dominating in his freshman season, averaging 19.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. Numbers like these don’t just make an impact on the court, they open doors to major sponsorships and endorsement deals! Add to it his massive social media presence which is closing in on a million followers, he automatically becomes a marketer’s dream!

Flagg has major deals with New Balance and Gatorade. He further expanded his brand presence by signing an exclusive multi-year NIL deal with Fanatics, ensuring his name stays at the forefront of sports merchandise. Recently, he headlined The NIL Store’s “Hometown Hero” high school jersey collection, solidifying his status as one of the most marketable young stars in sports.

Braden Smith’s rise to a $1.6M NIL valuation is proof of his hard work and growing marketability. It makes him one of college basketball’s newest millionaires. However, Cooper Flagg remains the undisputed king of NIL, and with the latest increase, he comfortably solidifies himself as the most valuable college basketball player today!