The Duke Blue Devils are just two wins away from their sixth College Basketball National Title, and No. 1 NBA prospect Cooper Flagg is on track to lead his team to the promised land. He has been sensational all season, and he is playing some of his greatest basketball when it matters the most. However, he may be in hot water after his previous performance, since Nike officials were paying close attention to what was on Flagg’s feet during his Sweet Sixteen victory over No. 4 Arizona.
Cooper Flagg got one of his first NIL contracts in a major move to New Balance Basketball. Since then, Flagg has appeared in a number of marketing campaigns and may have his own signature model by the time he enters the NBA. New Balance practically won the jackpot with one of the most anticipated prospects in history, who grew up in a New Balance family in Newport, Maine.
Fast forward to Duke’s Sweet Sixteen game versus Arizona, and Flagg dazzles the audience with half-court heaves, no-look passes, and thundering transition dunks. His highlights were all over the internet, but there was one problem: he did it all while wearing Nike sneakers.
Nike takes credit for Cooper Flagg’s performance
Following his 30 point/6 rebound/7 assist/3 block performance, Nike posted a tweet stating that Flagg was “Powered by the Swoosh” after wearing the Nike Kobe 6. While it was a mild jab, and Flagg is still licensed by New Balance, he is forced to wear Nike gear because the company sponsors all Duke University athletic events. Nike has been the Duke Blue Devils’ supplier since 1997, and their deal runs until 2027, so you better know they’ll take every opportunity to put their brand on some of the greatest athletes in the country.
Since Nike’s tweet was recently deleted, we’re sure there were some heated discussions about future marketing for a player of Flagg’s caliber. For the time being, we’ll be patiently waiting to see if New Balance comes out on top.
