One of the most exciting storylines of this NCAA season has been Cooper Flagg’s debut for the Duke Blue Devils. His freshman year is already generating a lot of buzz, with many experts pegging him as a top prospect for the 2025 NBA Draft. This could very well be his only year in college basketball and Flagg has already built a massive following thanks to his performances at Montverde Academy and his commitment to Duke last year. But now, there’s another rising college star who might just challenge Flagg’s dominance in the NIL game.

Ryan Kalkbrenner, the star center for the Creighton Bluejays, is having an impressive senior season on the court, but it’s his off-court success that’s catching just as much attention. As per On3, the 22-year-old’s NIL valuation has recently soared by 38%, boosting his total by an impressive $554K, bringing his current valuation to around $2 million.

While the details of his brand partnerships are still under wraps, Kalkbrenner’s growing social media presence is hard to ignore. With nearly 12.5K followers on Instagram and 4.6K followers on X, the Bluejays’ center is building a solid fan base that continues to fuel his rise in the NIL space.

Ryan Kalkbrenner had been projected as a borderline second-round NBA pick—a solid achievement, no doubt. But for a player of his caliber, a three-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year, there was untapped potential to raise that draft stock even higher.

Rewind to 2020, when COVID-19 threw the sports world into chaos. The NCAA’s decision to grant an extra year of eligibility to student-athletes was a game-changer. For Creighton’s standout center, it offered a golden opportunity to strengthen the resume. Therefore, he chose to return for one more final redshirt year at the college.

With Ryan Kalkbrenner’s NIL valuation skyrocketing, he’s now in striking distance of shaking up the leaderboard among college basketball’s NIL powerhouses. Currently, Duke’s freshman phenom Cooper Flagg reigns supreme with a valuation of $2.6 million—a number that’s $600K ahead of Kalkbrenner’s rapidly growing figure. And if Kalkbrenner’s momentum continues, having seen the $500,000 rise, he could pose a serious challenge to Flagg’s dominance in the NIL arena.

It’s worth noting the contrast in their NIL journeys—Cooper Flagg has already hit a staggering $2.6 million valuation in just his freshman year, while Kalkbrenner’s rise comes in his fifth and final year of college basketball.

But when it comes to on-court performance, Kalkbrenner holds the edge. While Flagg has been impressive, averaging 16.3 points per game, the Creighton center is putting up a dominant 25.8 points per outing.

While Ryan Kalkbrenner is narrowing the gap, Cooper Flagg has his sights set on an even bigger milestone—potentially breaking the record NIL valuation achieved by Bronny James during his high school and college career. It’s a lofty goal, but Flagg’s meteoric rise and marketability make it a real possibility.

Cooper Flagg’s NIL ascent: Poised to rewrite records amidst stiff competition

In a recent YouTube episode, entrepreneur and renowned sports commentator Joe Pompliano turned the spotlight on Cooper Flagg’s meteoric rise and the buzz surrounding his name. Pompliano delved into how the Duke freshman’s skyrocketing fame has already landed him some lucrative endorsement deals, a testament to his growing influence. But what stood out was Pompliano’s emphasis on Flagg’s NIL valuation, which has catapulted him into the elite top 10 list of current college athletes.

“As of right now, though, On3 has Flags’ NIL valuation listed at $2.6 million in potential earnings this year. That makes Cooper Flagg the country’s fifth most valuable college athlete behind guys like Shedeur Sanders and Arch Manning, but ahead of other guys like Jalen Milroe and Cameron Ward. Need that I remind you he just played his first college game two days ago while the rest of these guys have played several years of college sports already,” stated Pompliano via The Joe Pomp Show.

Wrapping up his analysis, Joe Pompliano shared his thoughts on Cooper Flagg’s trajectory, saying, “We’ll see how this plays out over the next few months both on and off the court but I believe Cooper Flagg is uniquely positioned to be the face of NIL this year.”

If Cooper Flagg’s NIL value keeps soaring during his freshman year, he could shatter Bronny James’ staggering $7.2 million NIL valuation. During his time at Sierra Canyon from 2019 to 2023, Bronny—son of NBA legend LeBron James—set a benchmark that remains unrivaled in both high school and college basketball circles. Flagg, with his growing influence, could soon rewrite that history. But, Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner is also hot on his heels, keeping the race for NIL supremacy as competitive as ever.