New Balance has signed a major addition to its basketball roster.
Duke freshman and potential No. 1 overall NBA draft pick Cooper Flagg has joined the brand with a shoe endorsement deal.
Flagg, 17, grew up in Newport, Maine, about 25 miles from a New Balance manufacturing factory in Skowhegan. The company is based in Brighton, Massachusetts, and Flagg said the local connection played a major role in deciding which brand he wanted to sign with.
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"The connection with New Balance as a family company and a company with Maine roots means a lot to me," Flagg told ESPN. "That makes this really different and special. My mom used to go to the tent sale for back-to-school shopping there when we were kids. That really aligns the brand with my roots. It's a perfect fit."
As a 6-foot-9 forward, Flagg has already showcased his potential before even stepping on the floor for a college game.
After leading Montverde Academy in Florida to an undefeated record in his senior season, Flagg received a top high school honor when he was named the Gatorade Best Player of the Year at the ESPYs this summer. He also got a taste of NBA competition as a member of the USA Select Team, where he got to scrimmage against LeBron James, Steph Curry and the U.S. men's basketball team, which went on to win a fifth straight Olympic gold medal in Paris.
“I grew up wearing New Balance, and I appreciate their authentic connection to my community,” Flagg said in a press release. “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.”
Flagg is another star addition to New Balance's list of athletes. Kawhi Leonard, Jamal Murray and Tyrese Maxey are among the NBA players signed to the company. WNBA rookie Cameron Brink, MLB megastar Shohei Ohtani, tennis star Coco Gauff and Olympic gold medalist sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone also on the New Balance roster.
“Cooper adds so much to our basketball roster, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the New Balance family,” Naveen Lokesh, New Balance's head of basketball sports marketing, said. “He is a force to be reckoned with on the court, and we look forward to building our relationship as he grows the game and supporting him in all his endeavors.”