Devin Booker Takes Inadvertent Dig at Bronny James’ Draft Process During A conversation with 28YO Lakers Star

Although Bronny James was not a lottery pick, not even a first-rounder, he is certainly the most talked about rookie from their year’s NBA draft. Being LeBron’s son, his journey to the league was quite different from your average prospect. Sure enough, the controversial process caught everyone’s attention. Even Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker’s! And although he may not have meant to take a gig at the 19-year-old, he indirectly did while discussing his own journey to the league.

In an appearance on D’Angelo Russell’s The Backyard podcast, Booker reminisced about when he and Russell were in the 2015 NBA draft. DB wasn’t sure which team he would go to, but he hoped for the Miami Heat. “Miami is where I was hoping ’cause Miami was my best workout. I remember Pat Riley came and did the interview, and he’s like, ‘We’re looking for a Klay Thompson-type player we need to up our shooting.’ I just shot 40 in college.” Considering how important workouts are for both the team and the prospect, what he said next may have hinted at his feelings toward Bronny’s draft process.

Unlike Devin Booker, D’Lo was a lock to be one of the top three picks because of his dominant performance at Ohio State. The LA Lakers drafted him at No. 2. “Do you even know what a draft process looks like?” Booker hilariously asked Russell. Then, he made a statement that was an inadvertent shot at D’Lo’s new teammate, Bronny: “When you top three, you do two workouts and decline all the other ones.” Midway through the sentence, everyone burst out laughing. D’Lo is a prime example of this, considering he had pre-draft workouts only with the Lakers.

While Booker never mentioned Bronny’s name, that is exactly the draft process the former USC guard followed. Amid the draft buzz, Bronny got over 10 workout invitations from multiple teams to analyze his potential. While he was not a top prospect like D’Lo, he reportedly declined all the invitations but two – the Lakers and, ironically, the Phoenix Suns. Obviously, it raised a lot of eyebrows because other than the lottery picks, most prospects would never deny an NBA draft workout opportunity because it hurts their chances of making it to the league.

In fact, quite a few teams with picks in the 20s and 30s wanted to meet with the youngster but were struggling to. In June, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony shared, “NBA teams that I talk to say they cannot get Bronny James into their building… The sense among teams is that his agent, Rich Paul, does not want him on a two-way contract, and the range he’s going to be picked—the 40-58 range—that’s where two-way contracts are handed out.” It was becoming increasingly likely at that point that Bronny would slip to the Lakers’ No. 55 pick. That’s precisely what happened, and Rich Paul ensured his client got a good deal.

Explaining why Bronny James attended workouts only with the Lakers and the Suns, Paul told ESPN, “The goal is to find a team that values your guy and try to push him to get there… My stuff is by design. I got the word out early to teams that if you plan on bringing Bronny in, here’s what you need to know: If you won’t give him a real deal, there’s nothing to talk about. It’s hard to get real development on a two-way deal.” Had the Lakers not worked out, Bronny James could’ve very well become Devin Booker’s teammate in the Suns. But Rich Paul ensured LeBron James’ dream would come true.

The 20-time All-Star mentioned how he would like to share the floor with his son, Bronny. Paul, with his persistence, ensured the 19-year-old got a 4-year $7.9 million contract and that his dad got what he wanted, too. Bronny’s contract is a remarkable one, especially for someone who wasn’t a top prospect and wasn’t entirely sure of their future in the NBA. As Devin Booker recalled about his own emotions during the 2015 draft, “I’m out here in the trenches.” But it’s as if Bronny knew he would be an NBA player regardless.

Was the plan always to be LeBron James’ teammate?

Another reason why Bronny declined most of his workout invites may have been because his path to the NBA was already set. With LeBron James still wearing the Purple and Gold, it was widely expected that the Lakers would pick Bronny to form the first-ever active father-son duo in the league. It was only made clearer by the way Rich Paul handled the whole draft process, revealing that he didn’t want Bronny to go to any team that would offer a two-way deal.

Then, during draft night, former Warriors GM Bob Myers made a shocking revelation about Paul’s antics: “Right now, Rich Paul is calling teams, [saying], ‘Don’t take Bronny James.’ He’s telling them to not take him. Saying, ‘Don’t take him. If you take him, he’s going to Australia.’ So, he has a plan and he has a place.” While most players crave such opportunities, Paul was trying to make sure no team selects Bronny other than the Lakers. So, it seems like his future was already set in stone from the moment he entered the draft. Do you agree?

Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.