Bronny James signs Nike deal for 'family legacy'

LOS ANGELES - Bronny James, the eldest son of National Basketball Association (NBA) superstar LeBron, is among five amateur basketball players to have signed endorsement deals with Nike, the sports apparel company announced on Monday.

The younger James, who turned 18 on Oct 6, is a guard at Sierra Canyon High School near Los Angeles while his 37-year-old father, a four-time NBA champion, is the star man for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bronny has already become part of Nike's marketing for its newest sneaker, the Nike LeBron 20.

LeBron signed a lifetime Nike deal in 2015 - reportedly worth more than US$1 billion (US$1.44 billion) - after working with the brand since his own days as an 18-year-old prospect.

Bronny inked an NIL deal - for name, image and likeness rights - along with four other young basketball guards.

Three are women: JuJu Watkins, who is another Sierra Canyon student; Caitlin Clark of the University of Iowa; and Haley Jones of Stanford. The fifth is D.J. Wagner, a New Jersey high school senior, who hopes to become the NBA's first third-generation player.

He is the grandson of Milt, who won an NBA title with the Lakers in 1988, and the son of Dajuan, a teammate of LeBron James in the star's first two NBA seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, before health issues ended his career in 2006.

No financial terms for the deals were revealed but, according to sports data company On3 Projects, Bronny was estimated to be earning over US$5 million from NIL deals signed back in February.

"Each athlete is recognised as a player who is paving the way for the next generation on and off the court," Nike 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."

On the deal, Bronny told Complex Sports: "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."

According to reports, Bronny intends to play at least one year of college basketball after he graduates from high school before declaring himself available for the NBA draft.

LeBron told The Athletic in February he hopes one day to play alongside his son in the NBA and that would be his final season in the league.

"My last year will be played with my son," the forward, who is entering his 20th season as a professional, said. "Wherever Bronny is at, that's where I'll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It's not about the money at that point."

AFP