National Basketball Association

Bronny James, four others sign NIL deals with Nike

Updated Oct. 10, 2022 7:09 p.m. ET

Bronny James, the oldest son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, was one of five amateur basketball players to sign an NIL endorsement deal with Nike, which was made official Monday.

James, 37, has been with Nike throughout his NBA career and signed a lifetime contract with the brand in 2015. Bronny James said Monday that part of his reasoning for agreeing to the deal was continuing his "family's legacy" with Nike, ESPN reported.

"For as long as I can remember, Nike's been a part of my family," James said. "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."

Iowa junior Caitlin Clark, Stanford senior Haley Jones and high school guards JuJu Watkins and D.J. Wagner also inked deals with Nike.

Nike heralded these five players for "paving the way" for the success of the next generation of basketball players, the company said in a statement.

"Each athlete is recognized as a player who is paving the way for the next generation on and off the court," Nike said. "These athletes push Nike to think about new ways the game can break barriers, bring people together, build community and shape the future."