Home/NBA

via Getty

via Getty

0
  Debate

Debate

Bryce James' NIL surge—Is he set to surpass his father's legacy?

Bryce James might not be talked about as much as his brother, Bronny. But he is definitely doing a great job in his senior year at Sierra Canyon, so much so that the spotlight on the 17-year-old is steadily growing. Consider his matchup against Kiyan Anthony’s team at EYBL. While his stats might not jump out, Bryce was definitely solid with his impeccable defense (2 rebounds and 1 block) in SFG’s 71-65 win over Team Melo. And as the attention on the youngest son of LeBron James grows, his father has a word of advice for him.

Bryce James and the Trailblazers went against the NBA Academy in what was a high-profile matchup at the L’ATTITUDE Basketball Classic in San Diego. Sierra Canyon pushed through with a 22-point win and King James couldn’t be more proud of his son’s contribution.

Taking to Instagram, LeBron James had a few words of advice to go along with the victory. “Keep stacking days young [prince], @_justbryce !! #JamesGang,” he wrote, followed by a crown emoji. No doubt you have heard this phrase on many occasions. But for those who are not completely aware of what it entails, it simply means to keep putting in the work every day. Rather than expect immediate results, focus on accumulating productive days and success will follow.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Despite being a “generational talent,” LeBron James had to put in his fair share of work to get where he is now. So, there’s no doubt that the ‘Akron Hammer’ was speaking from his own experience. However, Bryce’s athletic endeavors aren’t the only aspect that’s getting him attention!

LeBron James’ son sees a substantial boost in his NIL earnings much like star kids Shedeur Sanders and Arch Manning

With Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) changing the landscape of high school and college athletes and sports, the kids with a “star” surname essentially find themselves with an upper hand over others. Unprompted or not, it certainly does play a pretty big role in the NIL evaluations.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Take, for example, Shedeur Sanders. Being the son of Deion Sanders, a.k.a., “Coach Prime,” the young quarterback’s NIL valuation has benefitted from the hype surrounding his last name. The 22-year-old currently ranks No. 1 with a $5.2 million valuation. As for Arch Manning, the Texas Longhorns’ quarterback comes from a strong football pedigree and has a $3.1 million valuation.

It’s no different with Bryce James, either. In a 10-week period, his NIL earnings saw a $125,000 (10%) increase, with his current valuation standing at $1.3 million per On3. As of now, Bryce ranks the top in the high school basketball NIL evaluations. This is even before the 6’4 guard has stepped foot in college!

What’s your perspective on:

Bryce James' NIL surge—Is he set to surpass his father's legacy?

Have an interesting take?

via Getty

Yet, with him earning the big bucks, NIL Top 100 puts him at No. 15 in the country. There’s no doubt that once he enters college (with Ohio State and Duquesne recruiting him heavily), his NIL valuation is going to see a tremendous surge. And if that’s not enough, the kid already has 3.4 million followers across his various social platforms (IG, TikTok, and Twitter), which no doubt is going to see an increase as he continues to advance his game and name.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Well, what do you make of LeBron’s youngest son? Think it’s just the surname, or is Bryce making a name for himself off of his sheer talents? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Have something to say?

Let the world know your perspective.