Doc Rivers’ has become a subject of ridicule, but this time it isn’t his fault. However, it has to do with his 31-year-old son Austin, an NBA free agent who last played for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Rivers recently shared his perspective on the possibility of Bronny James following in his father LeBron’s footsteps into the NBA. With Bronny anticipated to enter the league in the upcoming 2024 Draft, speculation has swirled about LeBron’s potential desire to play alongside his son.
However, Rivers believes this might not be the optimal path for the father-son duo. He expressed concern that the immense pressure of matching LeBron’s legacy could negatively impact the 19-year-old Bronny. Drawing from his own experience as the son of former NBA player Doc Rivers, Austin understands the weight of living in a parent’s shadow. “I don’t want to see Bronny play with his dad,” Rivers said.
Unfortunately for Austin, his comments didn’t resonate well around the league. Now, rapper Cam Smith clowns both him and his head coach father in a rather hilarious way in his podcast, “It Is What It Is”. He starts the onslaught by saying, “Austin Rivers needs to shut the f*** up, basically like, ‘Yo, bro, my s***, because your dad didn’t have you at the right time and try to figure it out mathematically so y’all two could be in the NBA together.'”
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He continued further, saying, “If Doc Rivers figured out a way for him to be in the NBA with his son, do you think they would not do that? Like, you can’t get mad at the opportunity.” Despite the NBA being rife with father-son duos, it’s actually never happened that they have played together at the same time, so Cam does have a point here.
How can LeBron James realistically play alongside Bronny and Bryce?
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For LeBron James to share the basketball court with both of his sons, he would have to extend his playing career until at least the 2026–27 season. Currently, his eldest son, Bronny, is a freshman at USC, while Bryce, the younger one, is a high school junior. According to NBA rules, Bryce could potentially enter the Draft in 2026. By the start of that NBA season, LeBron would be 41 years old. In the case of Bronny, it’s fairly clear that he will draft next year which means there is a real possibility that he might become a Laker or LBJ might even consider a trade just to play alongside him.
Considering LeBron’s current performance at 39 years old, Father Time hasn’t caught up to him yet. While there might be subtle signs of his age on the court, he remains a dominant force, arguably the top player on the LA Lakers team and a key figure in the upcoming 2024 NBA All-Star Game. Given these factors, the idea of LeBron playing alongside his sons Bronny and Bryce doesn’t seem as far-fetched as it might initially sound. How epic do think James trio will look on court?
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Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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