As the No. 1 pick by the Mavericks, Cooper Flagg is poised to sign a four‑year, $62.7 million rookie contract - worth about $15.7 million per year - which translates to roughly $43,000 per day over the next 365 days.
Add in his stunning NIL haul from Duke - estimated at $28 million from deals with New Balance and Fanatics -and his total first-year take-home jumps to nearly $44 million, or roughly $120,000 per day when including endorsements.
By comparison, NBA legends like Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant grossed less in rookie salary - Jordan made just $3.1 million in his rookie year ($8,500 per day), and even with endorsements, early-career earnings were a fraction of Flagg’s projected haul.
Flagg’s booming start - nearly $1 million per week—puts him in rarified air. If he hits supermax performance incentives, his next deal could surge into five-year, $359 million territory, with a potential $509 million extension on top of that
That could push his total on-court earnings before age 32 to around $930 million - not including endorsements.
The top pick in the WNBA draft, Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings, is set to earn just $78,831 in her first season and $348,198 across her four‑year rookie contract.
By contrast, as outlined above, Cooper Flagg earns roughly $15.7 million in base salary his first year—meaning he makes about 200 times more than the leading WNBA rookie on his court earnings alone.
Bottom line: Cooper Flagg’s payday is historic. Thanks to NIL windfalls and NBA money, he’s not just earning - he’s redefining the rookie moment.
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