Being the eldest son of the one and only LeBron James isn’t exclusively about lofty expectations. As Bronny James himself will tell you, from scout attention to record-breaking name + image + likeness (NIL) deals, it certainly comes with an entire host of perks.
According to On3, the four-star guard and #19 college basketball recruit already has an estimated US$7.4 million (AU$10.9 million) valuation lined up thanks to his partnerships with companies such as Nike, Beats by Dre, and PSD Underwear. Not bad for a high school senior.
His next closest competition in terms of “amateur athletes” is Louisianna State University gymnast Olivia Dunne; reportedly the “most followed NCAA athlete on social media” with over nine million online fans and a staggering 330 million likes on her TikTok account. Dunne’s current NIL valuation sits at around US$3.4 million (AU$5 million).
A little further down the list comes college football player Arch Manning, nephew of NFL legends Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, at US$2.1 million (AU$3.1 million). The starting quarterback is currently projected to be a potential first round NFL Draft pick, as expected from a member of the Manning dynasty.
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Staggering NIL deals aside, over this past weekend, Bronny James officially committed to play at the University of Southern California after his tenure at Sierra Canyon School. Initially, there was speculation surrounding whether he’d opt to develop as a baller in the NBA G League, perhaps even here in Australia at the NBL a la LaMelo Ball. But now, the path forward is clear.
“Congratulations to my son on his next journey, on picking a great university. I’m proud of him,” LeBron James noted after taking a 2-1 lead in his ongoing Western Conference semifinal series against the Golden State Warriors (via ESPN).
“This is an incredible thing. Obviously, his dad didn’t go to school. His mom didn’t go to college. It’s super cool… USC is getting a great kid. He’s there to play basketball, [but] they’re going to be super surprised at how great a kid he is, even though they’ve been recruiting him for a while.”
The younger James is eligible for the NBA Draft in 2024, aligning with when the elder James’ contract with the Los Angeles Lakers is set to expire, and effectively opening the door for what could very well be basketball’s greatest father-son playing duo.
