Bronny James NIL deals, explained: How USC star landed the most lucrative endorsements in college sports

USC basketball is unranked after early-season losses to UC Irvine, Oklahoma and Gonzaga, but the Trojans are about to become the fixation of the college basketball world.

With Bronny James on the verge of his debut, all eyes will be on the son of an NBA icon as he charts his own path.

That James is able to play at all before the end of the year is a testament to his remarkable recovery from cardiac arrest in late July. The life-threatening incident initially put James' basketball career on the back burner, but he remained intent on getting back on the court and is set to debut just a month after the start of USC's season.

Before he ever stepped on the court, however, James was already one of the biggest names in college sports. The name, image and likeness (NIL) era has allowed him to capitalize on his popularity in a major way.

Here's a closer look at James' NIL value and some of his most lucrative deals to date.

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Bronny James NIL value

On3 estimates James' NIL value as $5.9 million, the highest of any active NCAA athlete.

James' $5.9 million in NIL value is significantly more than every other men's college basketball player, as Austin Peay sophomore Hansel Enmanuel is second at $1.2 million. James' brother, Bryce, is valued at $1.2 million despite still being in high school.

Here's a look at the five NCAA athletes with the highest NIL value, according to On3:

With that in mind, here's a look at how James stacks up against the men's college basketball players with the highest NIL value:

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Bronny James NIL deals

Nike

James and Nike announced a partnership in October 2022.

"For as long as I can remember, Nike's been a part of my family," James said in a release announcing the deal, adding that it "means a lot" that he can continue his family's legacy with the brand.

Terms of the deal weren't disclosed, but the Nike agreement is likely responsible for much of James' massive NIL valuation. 

Beats by Dre

James agreed to an endorsement deal with Beats by Dre shortly after his massive Nike agreement. The brand welcomed him to the team in a tweet on Oct. 17, 2022, 14 years after his father became an ambassador for the company. 

Beats by Dre produced a commercial featuring James and his father shortly after the deal was announced.

The Chosen One vs. The Chosen Son. 👑👑

Shop Beats Fit Pro at https://t.co/7Rut03Sx69@KingJames pic.twitter.com/W45x0tirur

— Beats by Dre (@beatsbydre) October 17, 2022

PSD Underwear

James' first NIL deal was struck in early 2022 when he became a brand ambassador for PSD Underwear. 

"When the connection is real and authentic, it makes a partnership like this really exciting," James said in a release when the deal was made, saying he's worn PSD Underwear throughout his life.

No financial details of the deal were revealed, but the partnership began more than a year before James committed to USC. 

Bronny James net worth

Celebrity Net Worth estimates James' net worth as $5 million.

While college athletes are getting paid top dollar in the NIL era, James' experience is certainly much different than that of the average athlete. He has been in the national spotlight since middle school, and his college debut is one fans of his father have waited a long time to see.

With that kind of pressure comes a large platform as well, and James has been able to capitalize on his before even playing a minute at USC.