Things aren’t going according to the plan for LeBron James‘s son. Sure, Bronny is often compared to his father, and that’s a lot of pressure. However, his health issues and underwhelming performances seem to have overpowered the name he carries. The latest ESPN mock draft predicted Bronny to be drafted in the second round. If that wasn’t bad enough, his NIL value has been steadily dipping.

His freshman season at USC Trojans was not as good as he would have hoped for. He averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. But the unfortunate cardiac arrest he experienced affected his performance, and he kept falling in the draft projections. Similarly, his NIL value has seen a large decline.

At the beginning of the college season, his NIL value was a staggering $5.9 million after signing massive deals with brands like Nike, and Beats by Dre, among others. Many analysts claimed that irrespective of his on-court performances, his value wouldn’t suffer because of his last name. However, Bronny has seen that privilege slowly diminishing over time. After his underwhelming season at USC, his NIL value dropped to $3.7 million at the end of the college campaign.

Now his value has dropped even further to $3.2 million according to ON3. The $582K financial loss also puts him #3 on the list- behind Shedeur Sanders and Olivia Dunne.

The Colorado Buffaloes QB’s NIL valuation is $4.6 million and the LSU gymnast and influencer, Olivia Dunne, has a $3.9 million valuation. Nevertheless, Bronny’s NIL might soon be irrelevant as he is foregoing his collegiate career for a future in the NBA. But his path is not as straightforward as it seems.

Bronny James to join LeBron James’s rivals?

Bronny James’ potential was affected by the cardiac arrest he suffered on July 24 last year. Before that, he was projected to be a top-10 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft despite underwhelming performances. His minutes were limited to 19.4 per game in his first season at USC. While shooting percentages too were decent, they were nothing extraordinary with 36.6% from the field and 26.7% from 3-point range.

The college athlete has so far declined most invites but two, the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns. Reports also emerged that the Golden State Warriors could potentially use their no.52 pick on Bronny. Lakers GM, Rob Pelinka might feel a little relieved as another report suggested that the Lakers would have the opportunity to draft Bronny sooner.

When the Lakers made the blockbuster deal to acquire Anthony Davis five years ago, they also gave up their three future first-round picks to the Pelicans. Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Pelicans are planning to defer the Lakers’ first-round pick until next year. That means Rob Pelinka will probably have his 17 pick intact to make the final choice about Bronny. But it is likely that Bronny won’t be selected in the first round.

Moreover, the Philadelphia 76ers have also emerged as another possible suitor for Bronny James, per Brett Siegel. Bronny and LeBron have both said on record that their future does not necessarily depend on each other. But it’s a dream for both of them to play together. So would any team make that future a reality? Only time will tell.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, had to say about the marketing genius, watch this video.