It’s safe to say NIL changed the game for college athletes. It wasn’t until 2021 when a law was passed allowing college athletes to get paid that such earnings became possible. Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark made over $3 million during her time in Iowa. Had the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) rules existed in the ’90s, many stars could have enjoyed the same success while breaking a few records. That might have added another element to the Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James GOAT debate.

If Bronny James is valued at $7.2 million, how much would his father, LeBron have earned? Would it have been enough to surpass MJ? The know-it-all chatbot, ChatGPT, has some interesting assumptions. As per ChatGPT, MJ would have had a groundbreaking $10 million NIL valuation. And it might not be wrong.

Michael Jordan was just a freshman when he made the game-winning shot against Georgetown, helping North Carolina win the 1982 NCAA Championship. He quickly became a star, accumulating numerous accolades, such as ACC Freshman of the Year and more. However, King James might have had a greater advantage than MJ despite not even attending college.

That’s right—the AI app has calculated that based on the hype surrounding James during his high school days, his NIL valuation would have easily exceeded $10 million. Furthermore, with the media influence, James would have surely had an upper hand.

While this may come as a surprise, it’s also understandable. The Michael Jordan would have opened the doors to immense opportunities with his $10 million valuation. Then, decades later, James, with the frenzy surrounding him, would have set new standards. We see that now with James’ eldest son, who has set a benchmark as well.

Bronny James made history with his NIL deal

The young James was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. He signed a $7.9 million deal with the franchise. He has many more deals in the lineup, in addition to those he already secured thanks to NIL. Coming out of high school, his NIL valuation stood at $7.2 million due to deals with Beats by Dre and PSD Underwear.

At just the age of 18, he inked a deal with Nike, just like his father. “For as long as I can remember, Nike’s been a part of my family. Getting a chance to team up with them and continue my family’s legacy both on the court and in the community is wild — it really means a lot to me,” James told Complex.

That was only the beginning. After that, he became the first-ever NIL athlete to have his own jersey. No wonder Bronny became the highest-paid high-school NIL athlete.

This all traces back to the early 2000s when a concern for athletes to earn from their own name was first recognized, while the NCAA continued to profit from lucrative TV broadcasting deals. Things have changed now. Athletes we allowed to capitalize on their Name, Image, and Likeness.