Bronny James and the Impact on the NIL Landscape
Bronny James and the Impact on the NIL Landscape
By Justin Rubin January 26, 2023 12:01
NIL deals from the NCAA by providing opportunities for student-athletes to see new paths. Humanity has already entered into an era where you could have a personal brand that can make money. From SI: One of the biggest deals in prep basketball history. For Bronny James, the son of NBA star LeBron James and a freshman at Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth (Los Angeles County), it is organizational. When it's time for these new NIL deals to be collected, Bronny will undoubtedly one of the best-prepared kids in all high school sports. Not only would this be a monetary win, but it could do wonders for the NIL landscape… period.
To begin with, Bronny James is a brand and name that could drive many new endorsement possibilities in the more general NIL landscape. This makes Bronny, as close as we can come to hiring an active high-schooler product promoter, come full circle. This would likely result in a flood of new sponsorships and deals, potentially making the market more lucrative than most well-known college athletes have ever experienced.
Bronny James and other high school athletes' ability to take advantage of the NIL market could lead others to follow suit. He is already a well-known player, and if he makes money off the NIL stuff, it could be an eye-opener to other athletes. As a result, the NIL deals he's signing could serve as an example to his peers and inspire numerous athletes behind him to be entrepreneurial and bet big (on themselves).
To top it off, Bronny James could then be a light in what can feel like an oppressive NCAA rulebook for student-athletes around the country. Wide-ranging success with NIL deals—on and off the court or field—might also show student-athletes that there are paths to success without having to turn over one's personal brand. How student-athletes perceive their career opportunities might change drastically.
To summarize, Bronny James's starring role in the high school basketball world and the NCAA's allowing NIL deals are most likely to affect the solvency of these years.