Nike has officially announced its newest class of student-athletes to join its basketball family. Amongst the group of five athletes is Bronny James, eldest son of NBA icon LeBron James.
Bronny, who just turned 18 over the weekend, is a senior at Sierra Canyon High School and has finalized an NIL endorsement deal with Nike. His father, LeBron signed a lifetime deal with Nike in 2015 and recently opened The LeBron James Innovation Center at the Oregon headquarters. In a statement, Bronny said,
“For as long as I can remember, Nike’s been a part of my family.
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.”
Alongside Bronny, four others including Iowa point guard Caitlin Clark, Stanford guard Haley Jones, top 2-23 guard D.J. Wagner and Bronny’s fellow Sierra Canyon High School classmate and star guard Juju Watkins, have all signed NIL deals. Nike has put out a statement regarding their choices for the next generation on endorsements and brand ambassadors, “Each athlete is recognized as a player who is paving the way for the next generation on and off the court. These athletes push Nike to think about new ways the game can break barriers, bring people together, build community and shape the future.”
All the student-athletes have been outstanding in their divisions. Clark has a lengthy list of accolades in her collegiate career, currently holding the distinction of being the only Division I women’s basketball player to lead the nation in points and assists per game in a season. Jones is a Naismith Trophy finalist, heading into her final collegiate season. Watkins is the top-ranked player in the 2023 class from Los Angeles and Wagner is the top-ranked point guard in the class of 2023.
In case you missed it, LeBron James has made it known that he wants to own a team in Las Vegas.
Tagged: Sports