The worst-kept secret across the NBA has finally come to fruition—Duke's Cooper Flagg is officially the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. He's off to the Dallas Mavericks after the franchise saw some incredible lottery luck following a tumultuous season defined by the trade which sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Flagg is now the future for Dallas and the league's next big thing. Fans will see his potential on the court in Summer League and when the Mavericks kick off their season in the fall. But off the floor, his earnings potential over the next decade-plus is wild.
Per Spotrac, Flagg has the potential to make $930 million in total contract earnings if all goes right and he turns into the superstar he's expected to be. His rookie contract with the Mavs is $62.7 million. Then, if he becomes eligible for a supermax contract, he could sign a $359 extension for his second deal, which would begin in '29. Then, he can sign an even larger supermax deal that would start in '34, which could be a whopping $509 million.
There's a few ways for a player to meet supermax criteria, per Spotrac:
- Named to the All-NBA First, Second or Third team in the most recent season or both of the two seasons prior to the most recent season.
- Named the Defensive Player of the Year in the most recent season or both of the two season prior to the most recent season.
- Named was named Most Valuable Player in any of the three most recent seasons.
It's important to note the amounts Flagg can earn in future contracts are estimates based on the NBA's salary cap increase over time. For a rookie extension, players who meet any of the above criteria are eligible to earn 30% of the cap. For a designated veteran extension (which would be Flagg's third NBA contract) players who meet any of the above criteria can earn 35% of the cap.
If Cooper Flagg is a superstar, the financial path forward is wild.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) June 25, 2025
Rookie Contract
2025-2028: $62.7M
30% Supermax Extension
2029-2033: $359M
35% Supermax Extension
2034-2038: $509M
Total: $930M, and Flagg will be 31-years-old!
Flagg must turn into and remain a premier player across the NBA for the above scenario to happen. But if all goes right, Flagg could bank more than $900 million in contract earnings shortly after his 30th birthday.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Cooper Flagg’s Earnings Potential Over the Next Decade Is Jaw-Dropping.
