Austin Rivers throws LeBron James’ eldest son Bronny James under the bus after landing a massive contract
Austin Rivers & Bronny James
After becoming one of the top prospects in the country to enter college basketball this year, Bronny James has already started catching the attention of various brands and endorsement deals. LeBron James’ eldest son has recently accumulated millions in NIL deals that Minnesota Timberwolves guard Austin Rivers didn’t appreciate on his latest appearance on ‘the Ringer NBA Show.’
Rivers stated, “We know why he (referring to Bronny James) got that. He got that because he’s the son of LeBron James. I was the number one player in the country. Bronny’s not even- what is Bronny ranked? There was no fluctuation with me. I was one. I was number one in the country.”
Being the former No.1 ranked player, Rivers blatantly claimed that he could’ve secured an easy $60 Million contract with Under Armour if players could land such lucrative deals during his youth.
Rivers discredits Bronny’s hard work
However, if one thinks about it, Rivers does make a valid point. Given that Bronny is the highest NIL earner in the country, with an estimated earning of $7.2 Million, there is no doubt that his surname plays a huge role in helping him clinch a deal of this manner.
The 18-year-old has not even entered the NBA, but LeBron James’ desperate desire to share the court with his elder son has helped Bronny garnish some attention. Unfortunately for Austin Rivers, attention comes with a massive paycheck for today’s time. Something particularly staggering about Bronny is that the young guard has reached this luxurious status without even playing in college yet.
How did Bronny perform at Nike Hoop Summit?
Representing Team USA at the Nike Hoop Summit, Bronny made a slow start to the game. In the first half, he shot from 2 of 5 from the field but managed to find his way to drop 11 points to get a 90-84 win over Team World in an under-19 duel. Out of the mentioned 11, Bronny scored 7 of them in the final quarter.
Being encouraged by his legendary father, LeBron James, on every occasion, will Bronny be able to use his ‘gifted’ platform in the best possible ways? Indeed, many fans and analysts are eager to witness his storyline unfold in the near future.