As Duke men’s basketball gets ready to tip off the regular season, its freshman phenom receives some big news.
Cooper Flagg, the Blue Devils’ 6-foot-9 forward, is signing an NIL deal with Gatorade. He is the first college men’s basketball player on Gatorade’s athlete roster.
“This has been a big year for me on and off the court, and Gatorade has been there the whole way,” Flagg said in a statement Tuesday emailed to The Chronicle. “From being named the Gatorade Best Male Player of the Year to now officially joining the team, it’s been surreal to have my name mentioned with some of the biggest names in basketball. The Gatorade roster is iconic, and I’m excited to work with them as I take this next step.”
Flagg joins the prestigious Gatorade team, which includes women’s basketball players Caitlin Clark, Juju Watkins and Paige Bueckers, along with Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders and former Blue Devil Jayson Tatum.
“Cooper is an incredible talent who quickly emerged as one of the best young athletes in the nation, and we know he has a bright future ahead of him,” said Jeff Kearney, global head of sports marketing at Gatorade, in a statement emailed to The Chronicle. “At Gatorade, we work with the best of the best, so we’re proud to welcome Cooper to the family and are excited to be fueling him as his collegiate career begins.”
The 2024 Gatorade Men’s Player of the Year made his mark in the Blue Devils’ first two exhibition games, scoring 22 and nine points, respectively. Duke kicks off its season Nov. 4 against Maine, Flagg’s home state.
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