Very few father-and-son duos have played together in the NBA. LeBron James himself was looking forward to playing with his son Bronny James on the same team. However, a recent revelation from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski suggested that LeBron who was “serious” about playing with his son, has other plans in mind for Bronny according to their agent.
Ahead of the Lakers’ game against the Denver Nuggets, Wojnarowski who was seated alongside his colleagues in the middle of the Crypto.com arena broke the news. The American reporter said, “One thing that won’t be in consideration I’m told by Rich Paul: The idea that [Bronny] needs to play with LeBron James, be on the same roster, play with him on the Lakers…
Wojnarowski further quoted American sports agent and Klutch Sports Group founder, Rich Paul, and said, “If it organically happens [Bronny’s trade to Lakers], LeBron would be head over heels, excited to play with Bronny, but in Rich Paul’s words LeBron wants Bronny to be his own man…”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Woj: "One thing that won't be in consideration I'm told by Rich Paul: The idea that [Bronny] needs to play with LeBron James, be on the same roster, play with him on the Lakers." pic.twitter.com/j3xhKu41qb
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) March 3, 2024
LeBron James’ agent Rich Paul told ESPN on Saturday, that Bronny James’ intention to declare for the 2024 draft was more of team interest rather than draft position. Paul said, “I don’t value a young player getting into the lottery as much as I do getting him on the right team in the right developmental situation.”
It was a tough year for Bronny who suffered through a cardiac arrest. After months of rest and with the support of the family’s medical team, he was back on the court. It hasn’t been an easy journey being a superstar’s son. However, LeBron James has always been supportive and is waiting to play alongside his son before he retires.
LeBron James on playing in NBA with son Bronny: ‘I’m still serious about it’
In 2023, King James’ son Bronny committed to USC as the teenager took a step closer to playing with his iconic father in the NBA. Bronny completed his senior season of high school basketball at Sierra Canyon. Per NBA rules, players must wait until one year after their class graduates high school before they are eligible to be drafted, which means Bronny won’t be able to enter the league until the 2024-25 season.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
That time James expressed his desire to play alongside his son, and said, “I was serious. And I’m still serious about it. Obviously, I’ve got to continue to keep my body and my mind fresh, I think my mind most importantly… But at the end of the day, I’ve done what I had to do in this league, and my son is going to take his journey.
To make this true in the present, King James’ agent, Paul, is working to get Bronny onto the Lakers so he can play with his father before he retires. Bronny James is currently playing his freshman year for USC and is pondering over the decision on the future drafts this year. His biggest concern right now is where would he fit the best to develop his future. The 19YO is struggling so far in college basketball, with 5 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists as his average and underwhelming shooting percentage of 37%.
Recently, when USC visited Los Angeles to play against UCLA, the crowd didn’t give time to the 19-year-old to settle in. The crowd welcomed the youth with ‘Who’s your daddy?’ and ‘overrated’ chants when he was about to clock into the game. Currently, USC is in the second last seed of the Pac-12 division, and will definitely have a hard time qualifying for further rounds in March Madness. However, Bronny has shown promise and is growing as a USC freshman.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
This leaves the NBA world with only two options: either to expect Bronny’s name in the 2024 draft or continue seeing him play his sophomore year for USC. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
Read More – Reality Check: Can Bronny James Fulfill LeBron James’ Father-Son NBA Dream?