Cooper Flagg

SOURCE SPORTS: Gatorade Signs Cooper Flagg as First Men’s NCAA NIL Basketball Athlete Ahead of Duke Debut

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Gatorade has announced the signing of Cooper Flagg, the 2024 Gatorade Best Male Player of the Year, to its elite athlete roster as he prepares for his debut season at Duke University. This partnership makes Flagg the first men’s NCAA basketball player to join Gatorade under its NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) initiative, joining an impressive lineup of college athletes like Paige Bueckers, Juju Watkins, and Shedeur Sanders.

“This has been a big year for me on and off the court, and Gatorade has been there the whole way,” Flagg said. “From being named the Gatorade Best Male Player of the Year to now officially joining the team, it’s been surreal to have my name mentioned with some of the biggest names in basketball. The Gatorade roster is iconic, and I’m excited to work with them as I take this next step.”    

Jeff Kearney, Global Head of Sports Marketing at Gatorade added, “Cooper is an incredible talent who quickly emerged as one of the best young athletes in the nation, and we know he has a bright future ahead of him.  At Gatorade, we work with the best of the best, so we’re proud to welcome Cooper to the family and are excited to be fueling him as his collegiate career begins.” 

Flagg, already distinguished as Gatorade’s National Boys Basketball Player of the Year, was awarded Best Male Player of the Year at the 2024 ESPYs, cementing his status as an exceptional high school athlete. He follows in the footsteps of previous Gatorade National Basketball Players of the Year who became long-term Gatorade ambassadors, such as Candace Parker, Jayson Tatum, Caitlin Clark, Karl Anthony Towns, and Paige Bueckers.

As part of his role with Gatorade, Flagg will engage with younger athletes and feature in upcoming marketing campaigns, expanding the brand’s connection to the next generation of talent.

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SOURCE SPORTS: Cooper Flagg Joins New Balance Basketball Roster

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Cooper Flagg Joins New Balance Basketball Roster

The next NBA phenomenon is a New Balance athlete. Cooper Flagg has joined the sneaker brand, coming off a summer in which he received rave reviews from members of the 2024 Olympics Men’s National team in scrimmages.

According to Complex, in addition to further New Balance basketball campaigns, Flagg will focus on helping younger athletes.

“I grew up wearing New Balance, and I appreciate their authentic connection to my community. The focus and growth of the brand in basketball and our shared values and history drew me in. From day one, it was clear that this would be a family-like partnership. I’m so excited to join this family and help them grow the category with young athletes,” Cooper Flagg said.

Flagg is the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft. He will play in the upcoming NCAA season with Duke.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Cooper Flagg Joins New Balance Basketball Roster first appeared on The Source.

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SOURCE SPORTS: Sadie Engelhardt and Cooper Flagg Honored as 2023-24 Gatorade Best Players of the Year

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Sadie Engelhardt and Cooper Flagg Honored as 2023-24 Gatorade Best Players of the Year

Tonight, Gatorade announced Sadie Engelhardt and Cooper Flagg as the 2023-24 Gatorade Best Female and Best Male Players of the Year during the 2024 ESPYs. This prestigious honor places Engelhardt and Flagg among past winners, including Jayson Tatum, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, and Karl-Anthony Towns. The awards were presented live on stage by former Gatorade Best Female Players of the Year Candace Parker and Paige Bueckers.

The awards ceremony was part of a week-long celebration in Los Angeles, where the 12 Gatorade National Players of the Year experienced exclusive events. Highlights included photoshoots, early access to the latest Gatorade iD Drop, and a performance by Lil Yachty. The event also featured opportunities for athletes to give back to the community through Gatorade’s Equity in Sports initiative.

Engelhardt and Flagg and other Players of the Year visited local sports organizations to support young athletes. At Hollywood High School, they surprised LA Rec&Parks and Girls Athletic Leadership School with a $25,000 donation, presented by 2022-23 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year and USC guard Juju Watkins. This donation will cover sports programming, equipment, and fees for the next year.

In addition to the $25,000 donations, each Gatorade Player of the Year receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner. Athletes can submit videos explaining why their chosen organization deserves a Spotlight Grant, which provides an additional $10,000. This year’s 12 Spotlight Grant recipients joined the Los Angeles celebration, adding to the more than $4.9 million in grants awarded by Gatorade Player of the Year winners to over 1,600 organizations.

Sadie Engelhardt, a standout in California high school track and field, was the national leader in four events this season and led her team to a second-place finish at the state meet. She broke the national high school mile record with 4:28.46 at the HOKA Festival of Miles and clocked 4:08.86 in the 1500-meter run at the Portland Track Festival, ranking No. 5 in U.S. girls prep history. Engelhardt also broke the California record in the 1600 with a 4:32.06 at the state meet. She has maintained a weighted 4.59 GPA and is committed to competing at NC State.

Cooper Flagg, the nation’s No. 1 basketball recruit in the Class of 2024, led the Montverde Eagles to a perfect 34-0 season and a Chipotle Nationals title. Flagg, also the 2021-22 Gatorade Maine Player of the Year, averaged 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.7 blocks, and 1.6 steals this season. He participated in fundraisers for the Ronald McDonald House and the Donovan Kurt Memorial Cancer Fund and volunteered at youth basketball camps and clinics. Flagg has a weighted 4.10 GPA and is signed to play at Duke University.

As part of the celebration, the 12 National Players of the Year received exclusive first access to Gatorade’s limited-edition Drop co-created with UNINTERRUPTED. Engelhardt and Flagg were the first to model the collection, which includes a vintage-inspired Gatorade-branded track jacket and towel, a t-shirt, a limited-edition snapback, and a Gx bottle. The Drop will be available for sale on the brand’s free membership platform, Gatorade iD, beginning Friday, July 12, at 10 a.m. ET, with limited quantities available.

For more information on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with Flagg and Engelhardt with

Sadie Engelhardt & Cooper Flagg

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The post SOURCE SPORTS: Sadie Engelhardt and Cooper Flagg Honored as 2023-24 Gatorade Best Players of the Year first appeared on The Source.

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SOURCE SPORTS: Cooper Flagg Named Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year

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Cooper Flagg Named Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year

In its 39th year of recognizing outstanding high school athletes, Gatorade has crowned Cooper Flagg of Montverde Academy in Montverde, Fla., as the 2023-24 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Flagg’s exceptional talent on and off the court distinguishes him as the recipient of this prestigious award, previously won by NBA luminaries like LeBron James and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Paolo Banchero, NBA All-Star and 2019-20 Gatorade Washington Boys Basketball Player of the Year, surprised Flagg with the trophy during a post-practice meeting. Flagg’s dedication to charity work further exemplifies his leadership, as he has contributed to fundraising events for various causes, including the Donovan Kurt Memorial Cancer Fund and Ronald McDonald House Charities.

“Gatorade Player of the Year winners have become synonymous with greatness, with many athletes going on to become some of the biggest names in sport,” said Gatorade president and general manager Michael Del Pozzo. “Flagg is no different, and we look forward to seeing the impact he will make on and off the court.” 

“Cooper Flagg stands out from the crowd for his versatility, intensity and commitment to playing on both sides of the ball,” said Eric Rossi, 247 Sports Director of Basketball. “In a situation where he was the lone star player, he would put up monster scoring numbers, but his selflessness and ability to still produce at a high level on a very complete roster really stands out. He has positional versatility, size and is arguably the best defensive player in the class of 2024. Bottom line, he’s the ultimate competitor and a true winner who is very deserving of all the accolades he’s received.” 

As part of Gatorade’s commitment to community impact, Flagg will receive a grant to donate to a social impact partner. The Gatorade Player of the Year program continues to recognize excellence both on and off the court, fostering the next generation of leaders in sports and beyond.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Cooper Flagg Named Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year first appeared on The Source.

The post SOURCE SPORTS: Cooper Flagg Named Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year appeared first on The Source.

Bradley Beal Literally Calls Cap On Cooper Flagg Rumors

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Earlier this week, rumors began to fly about the Phoenix Suns’ Bradley Beal. According to former NBA player Brian Scalabrine, Beal got into a verbal altercation with highly-touted high school prospect Cooper Flagg at a basketball camp hosted by Jayson Tatum. Flagg is currently the #2 player in the Class of 2025. However, as one NBA scout put it, “He will be the No. 1 pick,” one scout told Heavy Sports. “It is just a matter of what year he comes in. But even if he were to get hurt or something, he’d probably be No. 1 still.”

“I heard a rumor that my boy Cooper Flagg was at Jayson Tatum’s camp and he was busting Brad Beal 1-on-1, and Brad Beal got mad at him. Started cussing him out,” Scalabrine said. “This dude is a major trash-talker. … So I guess the rumor is that Brad Beal and him were squaring off 1-on-1 and Brad Beal was taking it lightly. It’s a high school kid. Then Cooper started giving it to him. And I guess the rumor is, Cooper started talking trash and Bradley Beal got mad. Really mad,” Scalabrine said on his radio show. While a wild rumor, Scalabrine has worked with Flagg in the past. However, Bradley Beal has since addressed these claims.

Read More: The Wizards got absolutely cooked online for the Bradley Beal trade

Beal Calls Cap

Beal reacted to the news in the comments of a post about the drama. “Huh? 🤣🤣🧢🧢,” Beal wrote on Instagram. So what’s the real story? Beal’s reaction is hard to gauge. At the very least, the camp likely happened and Flagg may have played 1-on-1 against Beal at one point. However, that’s likely where the truth likely diverges. Flagg likely bragged to Scalabrine or someone else that he “totally cooked” Beal or that Beal was mad about getting cooked. Then the story breached containment and hit the national spotlight.

As mentioned, Cooper Flagg is one of the most coveted prospects of the 2025 recruiting class. Currently ranked as the #2 player in the class by ESPN, everyone wants the 6’8, 200lb forward who is widely considered the best rim defender currently playing at the high school level. Additionally, Flagg, at the time of writing, has 11 collegiate offers, including Duke. He is currently playing out of the Montverde Academy in Florida. He’s a big deal and knows that he’s a big deal. At the end of the day, this is likely a private brag that has spiraled out of hand.

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Bradley Beal Reportedly Got Tilted By Hyped Prospect Cooper Flagg

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Cooper Flagg is one of the most coveted prospects of the 2025 recruiting class. Currently ranked as the #2 player in the class by ESPN, everyone wants the 6’8, 200lb forward who is widely considered the best rim defender currently playing at the high school level. Flagg, at the time of writing, has 11 collegiate offers, including Duke. He is currently playing out of the Montverde Academy in Florida.

However, if currently circulating rumors are to be believed, Flagg recently got into with an established NBA star. According to Sean Deveney of Heavy, Flagg recently attended a basketball camp hosted by Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics. Additionally, Helping with the camp was Bradley Beal of the Phoenix Suns, who is a good friend of Tatum’s. Furthermore, if Deveney’s reporting is correct, Beal and Flagg really got into it at the camp.

Read More: The Wizards got absolutely cooked online for the Bradley Beal trade

Beal And Flagg Reportedly Get Heated

Bradley Beal
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 09: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards signs autographs for fans after the game against the Houston Rockets at Capital One Arena on April 9, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

“I heard a rumor that my boy Cooper Flagg was at Jayson Tatum’s camp and he was busting Brad Beal 1-on-1, and Brad Beal got mad at him. Started cussing him out,” Scalabrine said. “This dude is a major trash-talker. … So I guess the rumor is that Brad Beal and him were squaring off 1-on-1 and Brad Beal was taking it lightly. It’s a high school kid. Then Cooper started giving it to him. And I guess the rumor is, Cooper started talking trash and Bradley Beal got mad. Really mad,” said Brian Scalabrine, a former NBA player who has worked with Flagg as a private trainer. While the story should be taken with a grain of salt, it goes to show the legend that Flagg is building for himself.

As mentioned, Flagg is currently the #2 player in the Class of 2025. However, as one NBA scout put it, “He will be the No. 1 pick,” one scout told Heavy Sports. “It is just a matter of what year he comes in. But even if he were to get hurt or something, he’d probably be No. 1 still.” Despite the competition for that first-choice status, Flagg could make it a moot point if he reclassifies to the Class of 2024, as many expect him to do. That would mean he would be eligible for the NBA Draft in 2025, where his biggest competition to go first overall would be Tre Johnson or Airious Bailey.

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