Duke University is known as a Nike school. However, freshman Cooper Flagg made headlines by signing a shoe deal with New Balance this year. In a press release, Flagg explained his decision, stating that he grew up wearing New Balance. Hence, he wanted to sign with the brand to honor their genuine connection to his community.
Gilbert Arenas shared his thoughts on Flagg’s decision during his ‘Gils Arena Show’ episode. According to Arenas, Nike’s decision not to sign Flagg may be similar to their decision not to sign NBA stars Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid. Arenas claimed Nike has a pattern of not pursuing big men.
“People were like, ‘I’m surprised he didn’t sign with Nike. Nike must have seen something that they didn’t. When Nike’s coming, Nike’s coming. If they 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 you are going to be a part of their future,” Arenas said.
“Unfortunately, he feels 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,” he added.
New Balance Is Thrilled To Partner With Cooper Flagg
New Balance is excited about its new partnership with Cooper Flagg. While Nike may not have pursued the Duke star, that isn’t a concern for New Balance. New Balance is happy to have him as part of their basketball roster. New Balance executive Naveen Lokesh expressed the brand’s excitement in a statement.
“Cooper adds so much to our basketball roster, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the New Balance family. 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,” Lokesh said.
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Flagg is already in the spotlight as a future NBA star, but his focus is now on leading the Duke Blue Devils. Their season kicks off on October 19 against Division II Lincoln University.
