"Getting the chance to … continue my family’s legacy both on the court and in the community is wild; it really means a lot to me" - Bronny James expresses his appreciation after signing NIL deal with Nike

Bronny James, son of LA Lakers superstar forward LeBron James, continues to follow in his father’s illustrious footsteps.

Fresh off his 18th birthday, Bronny was announced as one of five student-athletes signing NIL endorsement deals with Nike. The deal was made official on Monday. The other four student-athletes joining the Nike family include Caitlin Clark, Haley Jones, DJ Wagner and JuJu Watkins.

Bronny James spoke about the big news via Complex Sports, highlighting how much it means to him to be able to continue his father’s legacy.

“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,” he said.

LeBron James has been endorsed by Nike since 2003 and even signed a lifetime contract with the company back in 2015. The deal was reported to be “the largest single-athlete guarantee in company history,” according to ESPN.

The LA Lakers superstar spoke about the deal back in 2015 and highlighted how humbled he was by the loyalty shown to him by the company:

“I'm very humble, man. It's been an unbelievable time for myself and my family, and I'm just grateful that Nike and (Nike founder) Phil Knight and everyone over there just believed in a skinny-old, skinny 18-year-old kid from Akron, Ohio, and I'm happy to be a part of such a great company.”

Between the two deals, it looks like we can expect Nike to continue to stand by the James family for the foreseeable future.

---

Nike’s welcome message to Bronny James and other student-athlete recruits

Sierra Canyon guard Bronny James

Nike recently tweeted an official welcome to Bronny James and the rest of the new Nike recruits.

“We’re excited to announce the newest student-athletes to join our Nike family: Caitlin Clark, Bronny James, Haley Jones, DJ Wagner and Juju Watkins. Hit that (heart emoji) to show them some love and welcome them to the Nike Basketball fam,” the company wrote.

Nike later released an additional statement, talking about why they chose those five players. The company highlighted how all five selections have been breaking barriers on and off the court:

“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.”

Bronny James is currently a high school senior at Sierra Canyon in California. He is expected to play college basketball next year, after which he will be eligible for the 2024 NBA draft.