Reasons for 17-year-old phenom Cooper Flagg not getting Nike deal revealed by NBA veteran
Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas shared ave his take on Cooper Flagg signing a shoe deal with New Balance instead of Nike.
Cooper Flagg
Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas has made headlines lately for his comments about 17-year-old Cooper Flagg. Arenas is known for his unusual takes regarding NBA players, prospects, coaches, and others. He recently touched upon Nike and Flagg’s shoe deal.
Flagg recently agreed to be a New Balance shoe deal as sneaker giants Nike reportedly never made an offer for the big man. Flagg reportedly made his choice based in large part on familiarity and nostalgia as the company had a production facility near his childhood home in Maine. Arenas, however, doesn’t believe he made the best decision.
If [Nike] wanted Cooper Flagg, there was nothing New Balance was going to do to keep Cooper Flagg from signing. They would throw a bag at you that’s unreal if they think that you are going to be a part of their future. So, unfortunately, he falls under the same category that Jokic fell under. That Embiid fell under. That any big man falls under. Nike doesn’t touch those big guys like that.
Gilbert Arenas said on the Gil’s Arena Podcast
That being said, as per some reports, Nike did try hard for Flagg. However, he had his heart set on New Balance solely because the company is in Maine. Cooper Flagg, born in 2006, has taken the basketball world by storm with his undeniable talent. As one of the most anticipated prospects of his generation, many are already discussing his future in the NBA. Betting platforms like FanDuel NBA odds are expected to become a popular place for fans to speculate on where Flagg might land in the NBA Draft. With such a promising career ahead of him, Flagg’s journey from high school phenom to NBA star will undoubtedly be a topic of interest for both fans and bettors alike.
NBA star reacted to Cooper Flag signing New Balance shoe deal instead of Nike
Cooper Flagg, a top basketball player for Duke, has already drawn attention from NBA front offices thanks to his outstanding high school achievements. Having signed with New Balance at the age of 17, he is now making waves off the court. Given that, NBA star Kyle Kuzma took a swipe at Nike as he already has a longstanding hate towards them.
Kuzma took to his X account to react to Flagg’s New Balance dea and troll the company. That being said, this may be a huge loss for Nike as Flagg is tipped to be the ‘next big thing’ in the sport.
Additionaly, teams are keen to sign Flagg because he is anticipated to be the first choice in the 2025 Draft. On the other hand, getting him tied down is a huge win for New Balance. Additionally, NBA players like Cameron Brink, Zach LaVine, Jamal Murray, and Kawhi Leonard have already partnered with New Balance.
Kartik Mudaliar
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