Duke basketball player Cooper Flagg signs a NIL deal with Gatorade.

• Gatorade, a PepsiCo-owned brand, has secured a name, image, and likeness deal with Duke men's basketball player Cooper Flagg.
• It is likely that Flagg will be the top overall pick in the NBA Draft next year.
• In this new era of college sports, many players, including Flagg, are taking advantage of their NIL opportunities.

Gatorade is adding another big-name athlete to its already loaded portfolio.

Gatorade has signed a name, image and likeness deal with Duke men's basketball player Cooper Flagg, who is projected to be the first overall draft pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and already has NIL deals with New Balance and New Era.

"Flagg has had a big year both on and off the court, with Gatorade by his side the whole way. From being named the Gatorade Best Male Player of the Year to officially joining the team, it's been surreal to have his name mentioned alongside some of the biggest names in basketball. The Gatorade roster is legendary, and Flagg is thrilled to work with them as he takes the next step."

Gatorade has agreed to use Flagg in its marketing, with the terms of the deal remaining confidential.

Since the approval of NIL deals, college athletes have been able to capitalize on endorsement deals in ways they never could before, as exemplified by Flagg.

Flagg, a highly touted prospect and likely NBA star, has been able to secure NIL deals worth millions of dollars.

Gatorade's first men's college basketball athlete, Flagg, joins women's college basketball stars like Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins, as well as collegiate football stars such as Shedeur Sanders.

"Jeff Kearney, global head of sports marketing at Gatorade, stated that Cooper is an incredible talent who quickly emerged as one of the best young athletes in the nation. He added that Cooper has a bright future ahead of him and that Gatorade is proud to welcome him to the family. Kearney also expressed excitement about fueling Cooper as his collegiate career begins."

Before playing in a college basketball game that counts toward a season record, Flagg has already signed his NIL deals. Duke's first regular-season game is against Maine on Monday.