To be eligible for the 35% supermax extension, a player must have played seven to nine years and have hit certain benchmarks, such as earning an All-NBA nod, winning Defensive Player of the Year or being named an MVP. Players can lose supermax eligibility when their team trades them.
Keep in mind this figure doesn’t include the Duke product’s NIL (name, image and likeness) deals.
During a May interview with CNN/MLB network broadcaster Bob Costas, ESPN’s Howard Bryant said Flagg “had a $13M deal with New Balance and $15M deal with Fanatics.” These are multiyear contracts.
With that in mind, it’s reasonable to assume Flagg — who turns 19 on Dec. 21 — could become a billionaire.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, 40, has an estimated net worth of $1.2B, according to Forbes. James, however, became a billionaire in June 2022 when he was 37.
This could put even more pressure on Flagg, but the 6-foot-9, 205-pound forward can probably handle it. In one season at Duke, he averaged 19.2 points per game in 37 games, winning Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year.
“Flagg looks the part of a perennial All-Star, if not a future league MVP,” wrote Bleacher Report’s NBA staff in its scouting report. “Everything about his game — from his physical tools to his composure — gives him a real shot at a long, lucrative career.”
As of Thursday, FanDuel Sportsbook gives Flagg the best odds (-190) to win Rookie of the Year. If he does, that could mark the start of a prosperous career.
