Cooper Flagg is accustomed to the national spotlight at this point. The 17-year-old is Duke's next college basketball star and the projected No.
1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft by ESPN. Now, he can add Gatorade sponsorship to his list of accomplishments as the 6-foot-9 phenom became the first men's college basketball player to sign with the brand, the company announced on Tuesday.
Flagg said he's been committed to keeping his circle tight as the buzz — and opportunities — around him continues to grow. «It just comes down to trying to just stay grounded and kind of stay where my feet are and focus on the present and where I am,» Flagg told ESPN in a conversation about his Gatorade sponsorship and his first season as a college basketball star. «Whether that's focusing on a day we have practice, class… Whatever I'm doing, I'm just trying to stay present and really just focus on the moment.» With Gatorade, he'll join Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins as the other college basketball stars attached to the brand.
Flagg's popularity grew over the summer after he had an impressive performance in a scrimmage against the men's national team before the Paris Olympics.