Bronny James has become a household name without playing a single minute of college basketball, let alone the NBA. While his father's fame has certainly helped quite a bit, he has also carved out his own value on the court.
He's already rated as a five-star recruit in his class and recently committed to joining USC (University of Southern California). It is yet to be known whether he will be a one-and-done prospect before declaring for the NBA draft or otherwise.
Meanwhile, he has been earning quite a bit from his basketball career, in line with the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) ruling. His On3 NIL valuation is currently $7.2 million which puts him at No.1 overall.
To put it into perspective, his valuation is higher than all high school and college athletes in the country. This stems from his endorsement deals with brands like; PSD Underwear, Beats By Dr.Dre, and Nike.
Before Fast X, the movie starring Vin Diesel was released, Bronny James appeared in a commercial promoting it. It seems as if his father's entrepreneurial spirit is rubbing off on him as well.
The Bronny James brand
Bronny James played for the West team in the McDonald's All-American game in March against the top prospects in the country. Although his team narrowly lost 109-106 to the East, he more than held his own in a talented court.
He finished with fifteen points, all shot from beyond the arc. His performance in that game elevated him to a five-star recruit.
He will undoubtedly get more endorsements as his college career gets underway. Brands like Nike sign up prospects at the beginning of their careers and improve offers to bigger, better deals as their careers hit new heights.
Bronny James' massive social media following is another huge reason why he's so marketable. He has an Instagram following of 7.4 million while his TikTok channel has 5.7 million followers. He's by far the most popular college athlete.
It seems as if he is destined to end up in the NBA with his father, LeBron James confirming that he wants to play with his son before he retires. That by itself creates a huge opportunity for Bronny James.
Teams will be scrambling to get LeBron's signature even if it's only for a season due to his marketing presence off the court and pedigree on the court. This creates an opportunity for the younger James to get drafted.
An ESPN draft projection for the 2024 class places Bronny as a No.17 pick for the Atlanta Hawks.
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