Cooper Flagg drives the lane while competing in the McDonald’s All-American game April 2 in Houston. Flagg, who will play at Duke, could make a couple million dollars next season, a sports agent said. Kevin M. Cox/Associated Press

Similar to everyone in Maine, Russ White is looking forward to seeing Newport native Cooper Flagg take the court for the Duke University men’s basketball team this fall.

White, however, is equally interested in how often he’ll see Flagg off the court. As president of the Utah-based sports agency Oncoor Marketing, White knows brand deals and advertising money are coming Flagg’s way – if they haven’t arrived already.

“In my opinion, the kid could make a couple million dollars a year,” White said. “Just being at Duke, being the talent that he is. … He absolutely could earn a couple million dollars a year. He also could do whatever he’s doing to collect and focus on ball.

“I’m really excited to see him. From the sports business side, I’m excited to see how he does that.”

Flagg, 17, hasn’t even played a college game yet, but is already in a position to cash in due to changes to the college sports landscape involving athletes’ name, image and likeness (NIL). College sports were, officially, entirely amateur until June 2021, when a Supreme Court ruling established that student-athletes could begin to profit from their NIL in branding and endorsements.

Since then, college athletes have been able to cash in on their marketability and earning power before beginning their pro careers. Flagg – who in 2 1/2 years has gone from Maine high school basketball at Nokomis High in Newport to favored to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft – is now in that company.

The site On3.com, which estimates what athletes can earn in NIL rights in a year, has Flagg ranked No. 7 among college athletes, and No. 1 among basketball players, at $1.4 million.

The On3 estimate is only a projection, and one that’s often off the mark.

“(NIL deals) don’t always align with the On3 NIL evaluation,” said Sean Hughes, the CEO of Athliance, a company that monitors disclosed NIL deals. “It’s usually coming in at less (than what athletes actually earn).”

But Hughes also said Flagg has a good chance of clearing that estimate.

“People are betting on the future. I think that’s why we’re seeing his number so high,” Hughes said. “They’re betting that he’s going to be the next big thing at Duke. He’s got a strong social presence already, he’s got all the tools. He’s got everything lined up for him. If he can just execute, he will definitely make, and probably far exceed, that $1.4 million over the next year.”

‘SURREAL AND … A LITTLE OVERWHELMING’

Flagg in April helped prepare himself for the marketing push by signing with Creative Artists Agency, a Los Angeles-based company that represents celebrities in music, movies and sports, including NBA stars Paul George, Donovan Mitchell and Zion Williamson.

His mother, Kelly Flagg, said the reigning national Gatorade Player of the Year has already been approached with endorsement offers, though she declined to provide specifics.

“We have been having meetings with different companies pretty much all year,” she said. “There will be some partnership announcements coming in the next few months.”

Kelly Flagg said Cooper being able to to earn money as an athlete has been an adjustment.

“It definitely feels surreal and at times a little overwhelming,” she said. “At the end of the day, we are looking for a balance between maximizing his earning potential and keeping his focus where it belongs, on basketball. …

“(NIL money) is life-changing, but if he continues to focus on the game, his NIL earnings will be small compared to what he can potentially earn playing professionally. That is the big prize for him at the end of the day.”

‘BLUE-CHIP BRAND’

The NIL umbrella covers two branches of the ways for athletes to receive money. There’s the branding, marketing and endorsement side, and there’s the money they can get from collectives – organizations backed by wealthy boosters – in order to play at a school, which is known as roster value.

“NIL money is every dollar these athletes command for some type of service,” White said. “A collective is paying the athletes to perform services. That’s an NIL deal. Just because it’s from a collective and not from Google doesn’t make it any different.”

Adding the potential of collective earnings to what he could get from endorsement deals, Kennyhertz Perry attorney Mit Winter, who specializes in college sports and NIL law, said Flagg could earn well over On3’s $1.4 million estimate.

“He could easily be approaching $2 million,” he said. “It’s rare for a college freshman to have the potential to do those types of brand deals. … But Cooper Flagg’s unique.”

Winter said Flagg can earn that money now, even before his 18th birthday.

“His age doesn’t matter,” he said. “Just because he’s still considered a minor, his parents might have to sign agreements as well.”

Given Flagg’s talent, status as a likely key player for a national power and CAA representation, NIL experts are expecting to see him endorse major products and labels.

“One hundred percent, he’ll be a blue-chip brand. CAA probably already has those lined up or has had discussions,” White said. “He’ll have a shoe deal, whether it’s Nike, Adidas, whoever. (He’ll have) an apparel deal. Being from the Northeast, if I were New Balance, I’d go after him hard. Probably a Gatorade or a Powerade, probably an insurance company, a State Farm, an Allstate.”

Smaller companies may be out of luck.

“I don’t see Cooper doing local endorsements,” Hughes said. “That honestly could water down his brand, especially if he does multiple of those. It could make him seem like less of a national brand.”

According to White, the evolution of the NIL market in three years has seen athletes take a more tempered approach. He pointed to University of Connecticut guard Paige Bueckers as a player who left advertising dollars on the table to focus on basketball and better hone her image.

“Year one of NIL, right away, I think every athlete was chasing a bag of money, whatever that looked like,” White said. “(Players now) know the value of your personal brand, and then execute your personal NIL strategy and what you want that to be around what you value as your brand.”

Flagg should have plenty of offers, but the key will be for him to continue what he’s always done, and prove himself to be a player worthy of that attention.

“I don’t think (the money has been) accomplished and earned at this point,” Hughes said. “I would not be surprised to see contracts structured in a way that gives brands the ability to opt out, should he not perform.”

Performing hasn’t been an issue for him yet.

“He’s got to ball out. He’s got to play ball. It’s what he’s there for,” White said. “It’s nice to have a lot of followers, it’s nice to have a well-curated social media feed, it’s nice to put out good content.

“(But) if they contribute in their sport and perform that way, the thing that got them on the platform in the first place, then their overall brand and overall profile continues to grow.”