Getty Bronny James on the court during a March 13 game.
While Bronny James‘ basketball future is uncertain, the son of NBA legend LeBron James will earn a respectable NBA salary if he gets selected in the 2024 NBA Draft.
There are multiple undetermined factors that will affect Bronny’s NBA rookie salary. But based on the most recent estimations, Bronny would earn a $580,272 salary as a rookie in 2024-25.
In comparison, LeBron will make $51,415,938 next season, according to Spotrac. Therefore Bronny will be earning just 1.13% of his dad’s salary.
Here’s how we calculated Bronny’s salary projection:
If Bronny is indeed drafted in 2024, most mock drafts agree that he would almost certainly be selected in the second round.
This is owed to the fact that Bronny still has to develop his game more before he’s NBA ready, which is shown by him averaging 4.8 points per game as a freshman at USC.
His need for development and second round draft status would make Bronny the perfect candidate for an NBA two-way contract. This contract allows three players on each NBA team to move back and forth between that team and its G League affiliate, providing an opportunity for players to both develop in the G League and earn valuable NBA experience.
Players on two-way contracts earn a flat rate that’s equal to half of the NBA’s minimum salary. Per NBA insider Shams Charania, the projected 2024-25 NBA salary cap is $141 million.
The 2023-24 NBA salary cap is just over $136 million, and the current rookie minimum salary is $1,119,563.
Using that same ratio with the projected $141 million cap for 2024-25 means that the projected minimum salary next season will be $1,160,544.
Because players that have signed two-way contracts earn half of that minimum salary, James’ projected 2024-25 NBA salary becomes half of that number: $580,272.
James’ NIL Deals Dwarf His Projected NBA Salary
While $580,272 is a solid rookie salary — especially when compared to what Angel Reese will earn in the WNBA — that number is dwarfed by Bronny’s $4.5 million NIL evaluation, per On3.com.
Bronny won’t lose that NIL money by going to the NBA. Rather, his current endorsement deals with Google, Fast X, Beats by Dre, Nike, and PSD Underwear will come with him, wherever he’s drafted.
So despite Bronny’s salary being a fraction of Lebron’s, he’ll still be making millions.
Will Bronny Go Pro?
Despite declaring for the NBA Draft, Bronny has still maintained his NCAA eligibility. He has also entered the transfer portal.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on March 2 that James will, “weigh his entry into the 2024 NBA draft based on specific team interest, not draft position.”
“I don’t value a young player getting into the lottery as much as I do getting him on the right team in the right developmental situation,” the James family’s agent Rich Paul said to ESPN.
Therefore, we might see Bronny back in the NCAA next season — but surely not back at USC.
USA Today listed potential destinations for Bronny as Oregon, Ohio State, Duquesne, Pepperdine, and Duke.
SMU would also be a possible destination, since Bronny’s former coach Andy Enfield is now leading that program.
Regardless of where Bronny is playing next season, his NIL earnings will ensure he’s living large.