The NBA world eagerly awaits the arrival of Cooper Flagg, who is expected to be selected No. 1 overall in the upcoming draft. It’s not only basketball fans who are getting excited, though. Companies are prepared for the 18-year-old to be a big money maker for them.
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Michael Rubin, the CEO of Fanatics, confirmed as much during a recent interview on the Gil’s Arena program.“We are super bullish on Cooper,” said Rubin. “We are a big believer. We have thought for a long time he was gonna be the No. 1 pick in the draft and I think nothing has changed.”
The 56-year-old executive pointed out how many athletes Fanatics partners with to make a point at how much they value collaborating with Flagg. “We actually have about 5,000 athletes that we work with today that we have a huge investment in. Cooper is as special as anybody.”
Cooper Flagg is the future of @Fanatics says CEO @michaelrubin pic.twitter.com/kmoXGxNsBk
— Gil’s Arena (@GilsArenaShow) June 10, 2025
One of the NBA’s biggest stars is the young Victor Wembanyama, who Rubin also works with at Fanatics. He recalled how excited he was to bring Wemby on his team. “I remember when I flew out to France to get Victor Wembanyama signed. A few years later, Victor has turned into everything we’d hope he’d been and more.”
How could he not be excited? The French longman is the future of the league, and has already proven his skill by winning Rookie of the Year. But as excited as he is to have Wemby, he’s just as excited to work with Flagg.
“We’re really bullish. We think he’s gonna be a giant star in the NBA, and we’re invested in him that way, and we’re gonna make him a big part of Fanatics and everything we do,” stated Rubin. “We’ve had a deal with Cooper for several years. We’ve seen him do incredible things. We are honored to work with him,” the $10 billion CEO added.
Flagg has the size, skill, and edge to make an instant NBA impact. His game is already pro-ready, and he thrives under pressure. The league won’t be easy, but he’s built for it. Expect fireworks when the 2025-2026 season kicks off.
