Cooper Flagg, Harper and All Projected Rookie Contracts for Top 2025 NBA Draft Picks

Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and other exciting rookies heard their names called in the first-round of the NBA draft on Wednesday.

Flagg, Harper and more will look to set the foundation of their careers with a strong rookie season and eventually try to etch their names alongside NBA greats.

A player's draft position determines his first contract, so those drafted early in the first round will get paid a bit more handsomely than those selected later in the first round. Ahead of their first year in the league, here's a look at the projected rookie contracts for some of the top players in this year's class.

Rookie Contracts

1. Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, 4-year, $62.7 million
2. San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper, 4-year, $56.1 million
3. Philadelphia 76ers: VJ Edgecombe, 4-year, $50.4 million
4. Charlotte Hornets: Kon Knueppel, 4-year, $45.5 million
5. Utah Jazz: Ace Bailey, 4-year, $50.4 million
6. Washington Wizards: Tre Johnson, 4-year, $37.4 million
7. New Orleans Pelicans: Jeremiah Fears, 4-year, $34.2 million
8. Brooklyn Nets: Egor Demin, 4-year, $31.2 million
9. Toronto Raptors: Collin Murray-Boyles, 4-year, $28.8 million
10. Phoenix Suns (via HOU): Khaman Maluach, 4-year, $27.4 million
11. Memphis Grizzlies (via POR): Cedric Coward, 4-year, $26.4 million
12. Chicago Bulls: Noa Essengue, 4-year, $25.3 million
13. New Orleans Pelicans (via ATL): Derik Queen, 4-year, $24.4 million
14. San Antonio Spurs: Carter Bryant, 4-year, $23.4 million
15. Oklahoma City Thunder: Thomas Sorber, 4-year, $22.5 million
16. Portland Trail Blazers (via MEM): Yang Hansen, 4-year, $21.4 million
17. Minnesota Timberwolves: Joan Beringer, 4-year, $20.3 million
18. Utah Jazz (via WSH): Walter Clayton Jr., 4-year, $19.3 million
19. Brooklyn Nets: Nolan Traoré, 4-year, $18.5 million
20. Miami Heat: Kasparas Jakučionis, 4-year, $17.7 million
21. Washington Wizards (via UTAH): Will Riley, 4-year, $17.2 million
22. Brooklyn Nets (via ATL): Drake Powell, 4-year, $16.7 million
23. Atlanta Hawks (via NOP): Asa Newell, 4-year, $16.2 million
24. Sacramento Kings (via OKC): Nique Clifford, 4-year, $15.8 million
25. Orlando Magic: Jase Richardson, 4-year, $15.3 million
26. Brooklyn Nets: Ben Saraf, 4-year, $14.8 million
27. Brooklyn Nets: Danny Wolf, 4-year, $14.4 million
28. Boston Celtics: Hugo González, 4-year, $14.3 million
29. Charlotte Hornets (via PHX): Liam McNeeley, 4-year, $14.2 million
30. Los Angeles Clippers: Yanic Konan Niederhauser, 4-year, $14.1 million

Rookie Contract Projections via Spotrac

The rookie scale increases yearly, so Flagg's rookie deal will be worth more than the one last year's No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher signed with the Atlanta Hawks. Flagg's deal will pay him $62.7 million while Risacher's four-year deal is worth $57.02 million.

For a player like Flagg, many questioned whether he'd opt to stay at the collegiate level for another year and cash in on his NIL opportunities. According to On3, Flagg had an NIL valuation of $4.8 million heading into March Madness, which was the second-highest among all college athletes.

Flagg reportedly made at least $28 million during his freshman season at Duke, more than double what he will make in the first year of his rookie contract. Of course, many of Flagg's NIL deals will follow him to the NBA, such as his shoe deal with New Balance, a multi-year contract with Fanatics and more.

Nowadays, staying in college rather than going to the NBA doesn't come with the same financial implications it once did, but players destined for stardom like Flagg would prefer to begin carving their NBA legacies as soon as possible.