Bronny James’ official Trojans jersey was released by Nike last week. The 19-year-old is the first men’s college basketball athlete to have his gear sold to the public.
Nike has made available James’ jersey in both home and away styles, which retail at $90 at Dick’s Sporting Goods. It features his name and No. 6 on the back. The release comes after James’ official Nike short-sleeved t-shirt quickly sold-out last September.
Brands have sold NCAA athletes’ jerseys without their names attached, which benefited the brand, vendor and school, according to Boardroom. Having an official sponsor such as Nike release officially embossed jerseys may change that.
Since 2021, student-athletes have been able to monetize their fame through name, image and likeness deals. James heads NIL basketball estimates with a valuation of just under $6 million, according to On3. The basketball star has been featured in advertisements for brands such as Beats by Dre, where he has appeared with his father, LeBron James.
The USC Trojans aren’t the only basketball player to have his official jersey sold this season. Merchandise for Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, as well as recent Nike NIL signees Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins will also be available for purchase.
The news comes as Bronny is recovering from cardiac arrest, which occurred during team practice in July. After undergoing surgery, a representative for the James family disclosed he has a congenital heart defect.
LeBron recently shared an update on his son’s health. The USC athlete is set to undertake a medical exam later this month in the hopes of clearing him to practice and ultimately appear in this season’s games.
“Things are going in the right direction with Bronny’s progress,” LeBron James said on Monday, according to ESPN. “He’s doing rehab. Every week, he gets to do more and more and more. We have a big moment at the end of this month to see if we can continue to go forward. If he’s cleared, we’ll be not too long away from him being back on the floor and back with his teammates and practicing, with the notion of being back on the floor and playing in game situations.”