“He’s a grown man, ask him how he’s handling it,” This was LeBron James’ response when a reporter wanted to know about Bronny’s experience as a Laker. It’s evident that the 4x NBA Champ has set a difference between his profession and fatherhood. But there’s a voice from outside the James family that has suddenly stood up for the 20-year-old. Amid the young gun’s ‘unfair’ criticisms and the lofty expectations, a former hooper chimed in at the right moment to bail Bronny out shockingly at the expense of a star rookie!

The voice belonged to none other than ex-Warrior Gilbert Arenas, who was also a close ally of King James. Most importantly, he played a crucial role in training Bronny during his high school stint. So, it’s natural for someone who’s closely associated with the kid to defend him. But, this isn’t any usual justification. In the latest episode of Gil’s Arena titled ‘The UNFAIR Criticism Of Bronny TEARS APART Gil’s Arena’, Gilbert Arenas went after the top picks of the 2024 NBA Draft.

Basically, the 42-year-old argued that the critics let top picks slide away despite their underwhelming performances, entirely focused on LeBron James’ son. Amid this argument, 7 ‘0 Wizards rookie Alex Sarr, the No. 2 pick, faced Arenas’ raining criticism. The ex-Warrior said, “So nobody knows nothing about the top 15 picks? That is the problem here that they’re focused on the 55th pick in the NBA draft and everybody else the top five picks get to go through the league like nothing happens.”

“If there’s no Bronny, the kid from the Wizards would be called a bust today.” He further added on Gil’s Arena, “If you take Bronny out he will be last in preseason. As a number two pick in the draft, he’s busting out. You’re at the bottom with LeBron James’ son. You’re ranked in preseason first 3 games, 493.”

Notably, in his three preseason outings, Alex Sarr has recorded a stat line of 11.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. But in Gilbert Arenas’ lens, it was a bust. Meanwhile, Bronny James has scored a total of 2 points in 3 games, in which he’s embarrassingly gone scoreless on 2 occasions. However, this will still make an unfair criticism, considering the Frenchman started the game for the Wizards, while the rookie Laker wasn’t even in the second unit.

Will Bronny James rise above his haters?

Well, by the looks of the Lakers‘ rotation, JJ Redick doesn’t seem to have any plans for bringing the younger James into the mix. In Bronny and LeBron’s first game together, the 20-year-old received an early call-up in the second quarter. The rising star attempted his luck at the offensive, but it all went in vain. However, he certainly impressed everyone with his defensive skills. Notably, he sure does have his dad’s iconic rejection up his sleeve. But, the 20-year-old is certainly a player under construction.

We might see him play for the Lakers’ G-League affiliate for the majority of the season. And may as well debut with LeBron James, just for commercial purposes. Moreover, it isn’t just Gilbert Arenas, who stood up for the young player. Stephen A. Smith, who is known for his strong opinions against LeBron, stood up for the James family.

Following the father-son debut, the senior sportscaster had a message for the critics. Stephen A. Smith said, “He’s done a lot. He deserves this. Bronny is Bronny, but it ain’t about Bronny, it’s about Bron, as in LeBron… stand back, fall back, chill the hell out, and let the man do his thing with his son, and let’s see what and how Bronny develops in the years to come.”

When Stephen A. sides with King James, then it’s definitely something that needs to be taken into consideration. What do you think?

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.