Bronny James hit an unexpected roadblock off the court after Nike saw its trademark filing for his ‘B9’ logo denied by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The reason was clear and firm. The league office cited a ‘likelihood of confusion’ with an already existing trademark.
The issue stems from a logo owned by Back9 Golf Apparel, a Texas-based company that has held rights to its own ‘B9’ branding since 2022. Both logos target the same category: clothing and apparel. That overlap is what triggered the rejection.
Nike filed the trademark in February, and Bronny had already started wearing the logo on his shoes during the season. The design features a stylized lowercase ‘b’ with a ‘9’ integrated into it. Despite visual differences from Back9’s logo, trademark law focuses heavily on how consumers perceive branding as a whole, not small stylistic differences.
For Bronny, this is a temporary setback in what has been a growing personal brand. He already holds trademarks for ‘Bronny,’ ‘Bronald,’ and his signature. The ‘B9’ logo was expected to become a central identity piece tied to his footwear and apparel.
While the legal side has stalled, Bronny’s on-court progress tells a different story. In the 2025-26 season, he averaged around 2.9 points and 1.2 assists in limited minutes, shooting 40.9% from the field and 38.6% from three-point range. Those numbers reflect a role player still finding his place, but the efficiency, especially from deep, stands out.
That growth becomes clearer when compared to his rookie season. His shooting percentages have jumped significantly, and his confidence has improved. Late in the season, when injuries forced the Los Angeles Lakers to expand their rotation, Bronny delivered more consistent production. He averaged 7.2 points over the final stretch, shooting 47.2% from the field and 42.9% from three in increased minutes.
Nike has three months to respond to the USPTO ruling. Whether they fight, adjust, or negotiate will determine the next step. For now, the situation is simple. The league is seeing progress from Bronny as a player. His brand, though, faces its first real obstacle.
