Without having ever stepped foot on a college court, Bronny James leads the way in the NIL space. Boardroom breaks down his earnings thus far.
Being the son of one of the best basketball players to ever live certainly has its perks. But Bronny James, a senior at Sierra Canyon High School, is making a name for himself in the name, image, and likeness (NIL) space.
With LeBron surpassing $1 billion in career earnings in 2021, it’s safe to say the James family isn’t hurting for money. But Bronny is securing his own bag, anyway. He’s not only the top high school NIL earner in the nation, he’s the top NIL earner, period, outside of professional sports. And he leads the way by a good margin, with the second-highest earner — Texas’ Arch Manning — sitting roughly $3.5 million behind the eldest James son in On3.com’s NIL valuation rankings. (For reference, that difference is more than what any athlete is earning in NIL deals overall.)
Ahead of his participation in the 2023 McDonald’s High School All-American Game on Tuesday (and no, we won’t find out anything about his future as he’s opted out of all media availabilities), Boardroom breaks down the deals that have helped Bronny build an NIL empire.
Bronny James NIL Market Value
All data via On3.com’s NIL rankings.
Overall NIL rank: 1
High school basketball NIL rank: 1
10-week high: $7,800,000
10-week low: $7,200,000
Total followers: 12.7 million
The above monetary figures are via On3’s NIL Valuation, a proprietary algorithm that “establishes the overall NIL market and projected 12-month growth rate by measuring two categories, Brand Value Index and Roster Value Index.”
Bronny James Notable NIL Deals
Beats by Dre
Bronny is carrying on the family name on and off the court with his NIL deal with Beats by Dre. LeBron was the first athlete ambassador to sign with the company in 2008 and now, 14 years later, his son is the first high school athlete on the Beats roster. The two documented the full-circle moment with a commercial that had the James duo play 1-on-1 on a backyard hoop.
While Bronny became the first high school athlete to join the Beats family, the company already boasts NIL deals with the likes of Bryce Young, Caleb Williams, and Shedeur Sanders.
Nike
“For as long as I can remember, Nike’s been a part of my family,” Bronny James said in a statement. “Getting a chance to team up with them and continue my family’s legacy both on the court and in the community is wild — it really means a lot to me.”
There’s that word again — family. Considering LeBron boasts a lifetime, billion-dollar deal with The Swoosh, it’s not surprising in the slightest to see Bronny’s name as one of the five athletes chosen for Nike’s first-ever NIL deal. Joining Bronny in this exclusive partnership are Caitlin Clark, Haley Jones, DJ Wagner, and JuJu Watkins.
During practice this week ahead of the McDonald’s game — an Adidas event — all players could be seen repping the Three Stripes on their feet. Everyone but Bronny and Wagner, that is.
Just like in practice, Bronny and Wagner will wear Adidas-sponsored jerseys for Tuesday’s game — as well as the Dunk Contest, in which Bronny is set to participate — but with the NIL deal in place, don’t expect either of them to venture away from The Swoosh when it comes to their kicks.
PSD Underwear
PSD Underwear has an impressive roster when it comes to athlete partnerships — Ja Morant, Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, and Trae Young, to name a few. And those are just the hoopers, as the list goes on when factoring in other sports, artists, influencers, etc.
Bronny, however, is the youngest ever to have partnered with the brand, yet again making history with his NIL dealings. In terms of other NIL-specific deals, PSD is in business with the Cavinder twins of Miami as well as Alabama’s JD Davison. With the deal — his first major NIL partnership — Bronny has his own signature line at PSD, a brand he’s supposedly been wearing “for as long as I can remember,” he said in a statement.
More NIL Deals:
How Bay Frazier Leveled Up the Business of Basketball
Bay Frazier, VaynerBasketball’s first-ever President and CEO, sits down with Rich Kleiman on ‘Out of Office.’ Together, they talk about the business of basketball and his instrumental role in advising Carmelo Anthony as he…
The Champions’ Den: How Hyperice Gave NYU Athletes a Place of Their Own
NYU athletes needed a place to call home and Hyperice stepped up to help. Here’s how the two came together to create the Champions’ Den. Stuart Robinson took the reins as athletic director at…
Get on our list for weekly sports business, industry trends, interviews, and more.
