Cooper Flagg is spurning the Swoosh.
The Duke freshman and projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft announced a deal with New Balance on Monday. He had played for years on Nike’s EYBL circuit, wearing Nike shoes, and Duke is a Nike school. Like all Duke players, Flagg will likely still wear Nike shoes in Blue Devil games and practices, but he will appear in New Balance ads. The length and dollar amount of the deal was not reported; ESPN called it “significant.”
“Cooper adds so much to our basketball roster, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the New Balance family,” New Balance executive Naveen Lokesh said in a statement. “He is a force to be reckoned with on the court, and we look forward to building our relationship as he grows the game and supporting him in all his endeavors.”
Flagg hails from Newport, Maine, 25 miles from a New Balance factory in Skowhegan. New Balance has invested in basketball stars in recent years but struggled with poor injury luck. Kawhi Leonard, Zach LaVine, Jamal Murray, and Cameron Brink have endorsement deals with the Boston brand.
“I grew up wearing New Balance, and I appreciate their authentic connection to my community,” Flagg said in a release. “The focus and growth of the brand in basketball and our shared values and history drew me in. From day one, it was clear that this would be a family-like partnership. I’m so excited to join this family and help them grow the category with young athletes.”
Brink is another player New Balance snatched despite deep personal ties to Nike. Both of her parents work for the Oregon shoe giant.
Nike did win the shoe battle for Victor Wembanyama, and it seems to have signed Rutgers freshman and projected top-3 pick Dylan Harper to a deal as well. A Nike spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
