Duke forward Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 prospect in ESPN's 2025 NBA draft class, has signed a major footwear endorsement deal with New Balance.
Flagg joins a New Balance brand with close ties to his home state, including a manufacturing facility in Skowhegan, Maine, which is 25 miles from his childhood home in Newport.
“The connection to New Balance as a family-owned company and a company with roots in Maine means a lot to me,” Flagg told ESPN. “That makes this really different and special. My mom used to go to the store to get back-to-school items when we were kids. That really aligns the brand with my roots. It's a perfect match.”
Flagg, 17, reclassified to enter college a year early and is emerging as a highly anticipated NBA prospect. Standing at 6-foot-9, Flagg is a notable two-way player with explosive athleticism, all-around skills and a propensity for playing at a high pace of intensity. He was the only college player and teenager invited to Team USA’s pre-Olympic training camp in Las Vegas and made a strong impression as part of the select team that played against the United States’ gold medal-winning roster.
Changes to name, image and likeness rules in recent years make these types of endorsement deals more common for elite prospects like Flagg. New Balance's history with top young prospects across all sports includes Coco Gauff, Tyrese Maxey and Quincy Wilson.
“When I was younger, I remember dreaming about things like this,” Flagg told ESPN. “It's an incredible opportunity and I feel very blessed and grateful to be in this position.”
Flagg was the Gatorade National Player of the Year at Montverde Academy in Florida with a senior season that included 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 3.7 steals and 3.7 blocks per game.
