Cooper Flagg’s star power could hit a new level at the Final Four

Every superhero has an origin story, and a significant portion of Cooper Flagg’s narrative will be written this weekend.

Even if the recently announced National Player of the Year scores zero points at the Final Four, he’ll be the top NBA Draft pick in June. A national championship might not matter to his draft status, but it may matter to his immediate marketability as a rookie. It’s always easier to sell a pro with a proven track record for college success.

We all know what Adam Silver is rooting for. He’s a Duke grad and, more importantly, the NBA commissioner. Flagg will enter a league driven by stars as one of the biggest ones in history. If the Blue Devils beat Houston and topple the Auburn-Florida winner in the title game, he’ll be on his way to becoming the most luminous American-born basketball player on the planet. He’s already the first significant male athletic celebrity of the NIL era.

Flagg has one million Instagram followers. According to the News & Observer, Flagg’s television commercials include spots with AT&T, New Balance, and Gatorade. On3 estimates that Flagg’s endorsement deals total $4.8 million. That’s awesome for an 18-year-old to have these opportunities. So many deserving collegians were denied in the past.

It would have been easy for someone with Flagg’s clout to get distracted or derailed. He has lived up to the hype. ESPN’s database listed Flagg as the No. 1 recruit in 2024. Since 2008, the only No. 1 recruits to lead their teams to an NCAA Tournament title are Anthony Davis with Kentucky in 2012 and Jahlil Okafor in 2015. Being a champion matters. It’s the one trump card over criticism. It raises your profile and helps make you a household name beyond just the basketball crowd.

Not to go unnoticed, Flagg put himself in a position to maximize his value. Duke is like the Dallas Cowboys in terms of TV ratings. People love to root for and against them and will tune in. The Blue Devils, unfairly or not, have a reputation for being the villains of the sport. Christian Laettner, JJ Redick, Shane Battier; the Internet is full of lists of the most despised Duke players of all time. Curiously, the animosity, if any, toward Flagg hasn’t been quite the same.

Has Flagg done the impossible?

“They have made Duke likable again,” ESPN analyst and Duke alum Jay Bilas said. “There was a lot of years put into making Duke hateable, and now it’s out the window.”

The presumptive No. 1 overall draft pick doesn’t have to be likable, but it certainly helps sell more tickets and jerseys and leads to more endorsements. This weekend could increase his likability, especially for fans of NBA teams destined for the lottery. Flagg is the big prize who will instantly become the face of a franchise.

As big a star as Flagg is now, he’s on the verge of being even bigger.