Stanford’s Haley Jones, Bronny James sign NIL deals with Nike

Last summer Jones became the first female client and first amateur player to sign a NIL deal PRP, a management firm that also calls Shaquille O'Neal a client.

Stanford women’s basketball star Haley Jones and Bronny James, the son of NBA star LeBron James, are part of an impressive class of five college and high school student-athletes to reach Name, Likeness and Image (NIL) deals with Nike.

Also joining Nike’s team are Iowa women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark, who led the nation in scoring last season, DJ Walker, considered one of the top high school basketball players in the nation, and top girls high school player JuJu Watkins.

Nike announced the signings on Monday morning, saying in a statement that it is part of its mission to serve the future of athletes and sport by teaming up with “inspiring young athletes who are leading the way now — both on the court and in their communities.” Terms of the deals were not announced.

Jones, the Naismith Girl’s High School Player of the Year while at Mitty High, is entering her senior season at Stanford. She was the NCAA Tournament Final Four MVP when the Cardinal won the National Championship in 2021.

so excited!!!

— haley jones (@haleyjoness19) October 10, 2022

Last summer Jones became the first female client and first amateur player to sign a NIL deal PRP, a management firm that also calls Shaquille O’Neal a client.

James is a senior point guard at Sierra Canyon High School in Los Angeles. His dad first joined Nike in 2003 and reportedly in 2016 signed a lifetime deal worth $1 billion.

“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,” Bronny James said in a statement.

Clark is entering her junior season at Iowa and figures to be in the mix as the first overall pick in the WNBA when she enters the league. She was is a consensus first-team All-American in 2022 and last season led the nation in assists points per game.

Wagner is a point guard from Camden High School in Camden, New Jersey. His dad, Dajuan Wagner and grandfather, Milt Wagner, played in the NBA.

Watkins is a senior guard at Sierra Canyon, James’ school, and last season was the California Gatorade Player of the Year and MaxPreps National Player of the Year.

Jones isn’t the first player with Stanford ties to reach an NIL deal with Nike.

In May, Stanford women’s soccer commits Alyssa and Gisele Thompson became the first high school athletes to sign a NIL deal with the company. The sisters, Alyssa is a senior, Gisele is a junior, are considered two of the best players in the country. Last week, Alyssa was called up to the U.S. senior national team for friendly matches against England and Spain. They attend Harvard-Westlake in Los Angeles.

Check back for more on this developing story.