Bronny James is reportedly among five student-athletes to sign NIL endorsement deals with Nike, following in the footsteps of his father, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, ESPN's Nick DePaula reports.
James, a senior guard at Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, California, joins Sierra Canyon girls basketball star Judea 'Juju' Watkins, the top women's basketball prospect for the 2023 national recruiting cycle, and Camden High School guard DJ Wagner, the No. 1 overall prospect for the 2023 men's basketball recruiting cycle, as the three high school prospects to sign deals with Nike on Monday (October 10).
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark and Stanford guard Haley Jones were also part of the reported signing class.
Bronny James, who previously signed a deal with the Esports organization FaZe Clan in 2020, currently rates as a four-star prospect and ranks as the No. 12 combo guard, No 11 player from the state of California, and No. 45 overall prospect for the 2023 national recruiting cycle, according to the 247Sports Composite.
LeBron James initially signed a 10-year, $70 million endorsement deal with Nike upon declaring for the 2003 NBA Draft and later signed a "lifetime" contract reportedly worth up to $1 billion with the athletic apparel company in 2016.
In June, LeBron James officially became a billionaire, becoming the first NBA player to do so during his active playing career, Forbes.com reported at the time.
The four-time NBA champion netted $121.2 million in total earnings last year, increasing his official net work to $1 billion, joining the likes of Michael Jordan and the late Kobe Bryant, both of whom exceeded their respective $1 billion net worths after retirement from their Hall of Fame playing careers.
"It’s my biggest milestone,” James told GQ in 2014 about the potential of one day becoming a billionaire. “Obviously. I want to maximize my business. And if I happen to get it, if I happen to be a billion-dollar athlete, ho. Hip hip hooray! Oh, my God, I’m gonna be excited."
James is currently the NBA's highest-paid active player and has earned more than $385 million during his 18-year NBA career during stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-10; 2014-18), Miami Heat (2010-14) and Lakers (2018-present), as well as upwards of $900 million in endorsements -- which include a lifetime agreement with Nike paying tens of millions annually, as well as AT&T, Pepsi and Walmart -- and other business ventures, which includes a stake in Fenway Sports Group, the parent company of the Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Liverpool F.C.
James's $121.2 million earned in 2022 also ranked as the highest-paid athlete in North America and the second-highest-earning athlete in the world, trailing only Paris Saint-Germain's Lionel Messi, who made $130 million in 2022.
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