Get Paid, Young Man: Bronny James Has An Estimated $7.2 Million in NIL Deals

Bronny James won’t be needing an allowance from his superstar father, LeBron James, any time soon.

The eldest child of the James family, and one of the most sought after high school players in the country, Bronny has already started earning millions in NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) deals, according to On3’s NIL 100 Rankings. To date, the McDonald’s All-American has raked in $7.2 million from brands like Nike – a deal he signed at the same age as his record-breaking father – Beats by Dre, and PSD Underwear.

For many athletes, NIL deals are life-changing and were greatly fought for. Players of the past made collegiate sports a billion-dollar business while receiving no compensation for their contributions. In fact, players were penalized retroactively for accepting gifts during their tenures at top institutions; most namely Reggie Bush, who had his Heisman Trophy vacated for “allegedly receiving impermissible benefits from a marketing agency,” according to Sports Illustrated. During Bush’s championship-winning years at USC, the school profited from his likeness and his name, selling official merchandise featuring the quarterback.

Though there has been much discourse around NIL deals and the effect it can have on how high school and college players approach the game; for now, players like Bronny, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, Sierra Canyon High School’s JuJu Watkins, Texas’ Arch Manning, and Northwestern State University’s Hansel Emmanuel are bringing in the big bucks. However, James stands out amongst his peers as he remains one of the only top prospects who has yet to commit to a school at the next level. With offers from Memphis, Ohio State University, and University of Southern California, as well as an interest in Oregon, the sports world is waiting with bated breath to see where the heir to the LeBron James throne will end up.

All roads, hopefully, lead to the dynamic father and son duo suiting up for the same team in the NBA.