Bronny James, carving out a path in college basketball as a highly touted prospect, has swiftly drawn attention from different brands and endorsement deals. The eldest son of LeBron James, he’s recently clinched multi-million-dollar NIL deals, a move that hasn’t sat well with Minnesota Timberwolves guard Austin Rivers.
Rivers, expressing his discontent on ‘the Ringer NBA Show,’ remarked, “We know why he (referring to Bronny James) got that. He got that because he’s the son of LeBron James. I was the number one player in the country. Bronny’s not even- what is Bronny ranked? There was no fluctuation with me. I was one. I was number one in the country.”
Austin Rivers says Bronny only got $7M in NIL deals because of his dad Lebron James. Fans then pointed out that he got his biggest NBA contract playing for his dad and a new job as a sports Analyst with him. pic./NnY535BCKL
— NBA Memes (NBAMemes) October 29, 2023
Speaking from his experience as a former top-ranked player, Rivers boldly claimed he could have easily bagged a $60 million deal with Under Armour if such opportunities were available during his playing days.
Despite still being in high school, Bronny James has an evaluation that rivals many professional athletes’ earnings.
Former NBA player Austin Rivers says Bronny only got $7M in NIL deals because of his dad Lebron James. Fans then pointed out that he got his biggest NBA contract playing for his dad & NBA Coach Doc Rivers & a new job as a sports Analyst with Doc Rivers. pic./GPoTcP8TFi
— Black Millionaires ® (Blackmillions_) October 28, 2023
On3, in their estimations, suggests James could pull in $7.2 million from his name, image, and likeness. This valuation significantly overshadows other players who competed in this year’s McDonald’s All-American Game, an annual showcase of the country’s top prep talent, with Jared McCain, signed with Duke, securing the second spot and the only other player with a seven-figure NIL valuation ($1.2 million).