Duke star Cooper Flagg projected to be on $930 million path if taken No. 1 by Mavericks

Duke superstar Cooper Flagg is about to be on his way to becoming the NBA’s next great franchise player. The 6-9 forward has long been projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and with the Dallas Mavericks expected to call his name, expectations are sky-high.

What’s equally massive? His projected earnings. According to Spotrac, Flagg could be on track to become one of the first athletes in history to near a billion-dollar career in contracts alone. The financial breakdown is staggering: a rookie deal worth $62.7 million from 2025 to 2028, followed by a potential 30% supermax extension of $359 million through 2033. If he reaches elite status by age 29, Flagg would then be eligible for a 35% supermax extension that could bring in another $509 million through 2038—bringing his projected career total to $930 million at 31-years-old.

That type of earning power is usually reserved for generational icons—and Flagg is already being talked about as just that.

“Dallas has been lucky for many years,” said Duke head coach Jon Scheyer. “They've been able to watch Dirk, Luka — so many winning teams. Now, you've got a guy in Cooper, who I think will carry that tradition forward.”

The Mavericks are already treating him like one of their own. NBA insider Marc Stein reported Flagg dined with Dallas officials recently and followed that up with a dinner with team veterans like Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving on. Dallas even accidentally posted a graphic welcoming him to the team on their website before the draft officially began, as Yahoo Sports’ Jeremy Beren noted.

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With a versatile skill set and relentless motor, Flagg is about to step into a high-pressure situation alongside future Hall of Famers — and potentially as the long-term face of the franchise once their era ends. The opportunity is massive, but so is the belief around the league in his ability to seize it.

If the projections prove true and Flagg delivers on the floor, he won’t just be remembered as a No. 1 pick — he’ll be remembered as the athlete who redefined the business of basketball. For Dallas and the NBA, the Cooper Flagg era is about to begin.