Sierra Canyon senior Bronny James reaches NIL deal with Nike originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Nike made a major statement in the NIL world.
On Monday, the mega-corporation finalized endorsement deals with five top amateur basketball players, ranging from the high school to college level.
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The group, which is headlined by Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James' son, Bronny James of Sierra Canyon High School, includes Iowa guard Caitlin Clark, Stanford’s Haley Jones, Camden High’s D.J. Wagner and Sierra Canyon’s Judea Watkins.
While this isn’t the first NIL deal for some of them, it is clearly the biggest deal they’ve signed thus far.
Bronny is also no stranger to the Nike corporation. His father LeBron first signed with Nike in 2003 before his NBA career had even started, and he went on to ink a lifetime deal with the brand in late 2015.
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"For as long as I can remember, Nike's been a part of my family," Bronny 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."
While Nike has signed other name, image and likeness deals in other sports, they have not moved into basketball in a major way.
“Each athlete is recognized as a player who is paving the way for the next generation on and off the court,” the brand said in a statement. “These athletes push Nike to think about new ways the game can break barriers, bring people together, build community and shape the future.”
These endorsement deals come just a few months after a rule approved amateur athletes the opportunity to profit from their name, image, and likeness. The ruling applies to all student-athletes in the NCAA and high schoolers in certain states, including California and New Jersey, where Bronny, Watkins, and Wagner reside.
