The Los Angeles Lakers chose Bronny James as the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Bronny, the eldest son of NBA legend LeBron James, is poised to make history alongside his father as the first father-son duo to play in the NBA concurrently. If LeBron opts to continue with the Lakers, whether through a new contract in free agency or his player option for next season, they could potentially be teammates.
This outcome aligns with the James camp’s apparent intentions all along. During ESPN’s broadcast of the second round on Thursday, Bob Myers disclosed that Rich Paul, agent to both father and son, advised teams not affiliated with the Lakers against drafting Bronny, suggesting he might explore playing in Australia instead. This tactic seemingly deterred other teams, leading to his selection by the Laker.
Bronny had been highly regarded as one of the top prospects in his class for years before choosing to play college basketball at USC, near where his father played for the Lakers. His college career was interrupted by a cardiac arrest during a preseason workout, though he recovered sufficiently to compete for the Trojans. Despite challenges, he faced difficulties in his sole season, averaging just 4.8 points on 36.6% shooting in a limited role.
His potential in the NBA isn’t solely defined by his time at USC, but rather by his lineage and achievements in youth basketball. While he doesn’t possess his father’s exceptional size or rare athleticism, he is a solid all-around athlete known for playing a high-IQ style typical of LeBron’s son. His standout skill lies in his ability to defend at the point of attack. Despite being relatively short at 6-foot-1, his strength and wingspan of 6-foot-7 make him capable of guarding larger opponents.
Defense can get a player playing time initially, but for Bronny to succeed in the NBA, he must enhance his shooting abilities. Unlike his father, he doesn’t handle the ball frequently. His best route to a thriving career lies in a 3-and-D role. However, given his challenges with long-range shooting, evidenced by his 26.7% success rate at USC and ongoing struggles in amateur play, he has significant room for improvement in this area.
For years, LeBron has expressed his wish to team up with his son in the later stages of his NBA career. However, there’s no certainty that they will both join the Lakers next season. LeBron has the option to become a free agent this offseason, and although Paul has actively worked to facilitate their pairing, LeBron’s decision remains undecided. Nonetheless, Paul strategically utilized this uncertainty to facilitate Bronny’s move to the Lakers.
Paul told ESPN before the draft that LeBron is no longer insisting on playing with Bronny. Whether the Lakers draft Bronny or not, LeBron’s decision to re-sign is not guaranteed. Paul emphasized that there’s no agreement in place requiring LeBron to stay if Bronny is drafted, stating that he wouldn’t pressure the Lakers to select Bronny early for leverage.
If both James family members join the Lakers next season, they would be the first father and son duo to play together on the same team in any major North American professional sport since Ken Griffey Jr. and Ken Griffey Sr. did so with the Seattle Mariners in 1990.
