Cooper Flagg has arrived in the college basketball realm and that too, with an impressive reputation built during his high school days. As Duke Blue Devils’ latest freshman sensation, Flagg is already touted as a potential No. 1 pick for next year’s NBA Draft, with this season possibly being his only one in the NCAA. His rapid rise and soaring popularity could even see him outpace Bronny James’ record-breaking NIL value during high school and college as a famous sports internet personality hints that Flagg’s appeal and marketability are just beginning to peak.

In a recent YouTube episode, entrepreneur and popular sports commentator Joe Pompliano zeroed in on Cooper Flagg’s incredible rise and growing hype, where he highlighted how the Duke freshman has already secured some impressive, high-paying endorsement deals thanks to his booming fame. However, he later stressed Flagg’s NIL value, which has rocketed him into the 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.

Cooper Flagg’s NIL value has undeniably skyrocketed, reaching an impressive $2.6 million—placing him among the top five college athletes, as Joe Pompliano pointed out. Leading the pack is Colorado Buffaloes’ quarterback Shedeur Sanders, whose NIL value tops out at $6.2 million. What’s fascinating about Flagg’s place in this elite group is that, unlike the other top athletes, he hasn’t yet hit the million mark in social media followers, while his peers except Arch Manning at fourth rank, boast million-plus followers.

But now, with a strong debut for Duke in the NCAA, it’s likely his social media following—and consequently his NIL value—will continue to rise. “We’ll see how this plays out over the next few months both on and off the coute but I believe Cooper Flagg is uniquely positioned to be the face of NIL this year,” concluded Pompliano, emphasizing the promising future for this NBA-bound prospect. 

If Flagg’s NIL value skyrockets during his freshman year, he could potentially surpass the record Bronny James set in high school—an impressive $7.2 million. Playing for Sierra Canyon from 2019 to 2023, Bronny, son of NBA icon LeBron James, reached a NIL value that remains unmatched by any other high school or college player.

Although his value dipped slightly to $5.9 million when he joined the USC Trojans, Bronny still held the top spot among college athletes at the time. It is only recently Football standout Shedeur Sanders recently broke his college record. Now, as Cooper Flagg locks in one lucrative deal after another, Bronny’s record as the most valued NIL athlete in college basketball faces serious jeopardy.

Cooper Flagg’s NIL endorsement and deals so far

Since committing to Duke’s program while still at Montverde Academy last year, Cooper Flagg has landed some impressive brand deals. Flagg spent years playing in Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League circuit, proudly sporting Nike shoes on the court, which primed him for major partnerships even before college. This August, he added another major brand to his portfolio, teaming up with New Balance, which likely gave his NIL earnings an additional boost.

As if his impressive lineup of deals wasn’t enough, Duke freshman Cooper Flagg recently signed with Gatorade, adding the PepsiCo-owned giant to his growing roster of endorsements. “This has been a big year for me on and off the court, and Gatorade has been there the whole way,” said the Gatorade Best Male Player of the Year after the announcement. With this partnership, Flagg joins an elite group of college athletes, including rising stars Juju Watkins and WNBA top prospect Paige Bueckers.

Now that Cooper Flagg has started his freshman season and is already turning heads with his standout performances, experts expect his value to climb even higher. Fans eagerly watching his rise might just see him surpass NBA rookie Bronny James’ record NIL value from his high school and college days—but it may take a few more months to find out!