With the exception of his most recent comeback, Bronny James has been struggling in his debut Summer League Series. He hadn’t crossed 10 points, his field goal percentage was at an abysmal low, and he hadn’t had a three-pointer to his name until his matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. While several members of the NBA world are not shying away from making their criticism known, others sympathize with the 19-year-old who, along with having to make a mark, also has to live up to his father’s legacy.

Joining the support bandwagon is renowned comedian and the man without any haters: Kevin Hart.

In a recent interview with Taylor Rooks, he highlighted his belief that Bronny is receiving a whole lot of support from people everywhere. However, their voices are getting overshadowed by the ones who choose to spread negativity about the 19-year-old. Someone like him, who has been in the public spotlight since the day he was born, should know this better than anyone.

“My message first would be a message to Bronny, who I’m close with as well. You’re no stranger to like ‘Public Warfare’, right? You’ve grown up in it, your father’s been in the headline since he was 18, and everybody loves the story of the good guy but everybody really wants the story of the bad guy,” said Hart. “Like, for some reason, we love ‘Love’, but people love the concept of ‘Hate’ more.”

There is some truth to the fact that people are more attracted to the concept of hate than love. Amidst all this disdain, however, the comedian urges the 19-year-old to rise above and focus on the good things. Focus on the love that he is receiving from other fans and all of his loved ones. Focus on the platform he has received, because not everyone is lucky enough to be born under such circumstances.

“My dad thrived off work. ‘Hey, I’m about to work,’” Hart continued. “And by the way, we’re happy. We’re Happy. That’s the important part. So, when the conversation of Nepotism and this and that, and this and that, you know; it’s ignorance attached to that conversation.”

The disdain for Bronny’s basketball future has remained ever since his abysmal season with USC. Now, in the Summer League, his performance is being perceived in a poor light, given that the young star only averaged 4.3 points, a field goal percentage of 22.6%, and 0-15 three-pointers in his first three games.

Despite this, Bronny is not without any support. While not being able to make the same because of Team USA’s training camp, LeBron James defended his son’s 4-point debut performance by stating, “You can’t take anything stat-wise from the California Classic and Summer League and bring it once the season starts. The only thing that matters is him getting better and stacking days.”

Along with Hart, former Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal also extended his support recently by stating “Keep playing hard, Bronny. Uncle Shaq loves you.” But then, there are a few who understand that it’s still a long, long way for Bronny, and the scrutiny is far from over.

Matt Barnes sympathizes with Bronny James

Amongst the people keeping tabs on the latest happenings around Bronny James is former NBA player Matt Barnes. Being the father of two sons who possess NBA aspirations, Barnes is appreciative of the opportunity that LeBron James and Bronny are getting by playing together in the ultimate league. At the same time, the factor also makes him realize the unwanted scrutiny that is coming Bronny’s way. Having gone through the NBA experience himself, the former player knows that the criticism directed towards Bronny won’t die down soon.

“Obviously, there’s going to be fans that wrap their arms around him (Bronny) and embrace him, but we all know that being in this game, whether it be the media or the actual sport, the hate is always louder than the love,” said Barnes in an interview dated July 4. “So, I think there’s going to be a lot of people who are going to be taking shots and disrespecting him and his game and his family, and unfortunately … that comes with the territory these days.”

This is not the first time that Matt Barnes has chosen to defend Bronny. Back in May, he made headlines after criticizing NBA Today insider Marc J. Spears, who reported that several scouts had described Bronny as a “poor man’s Davion Mitchell.” Replying to the reporter via a now-deleted post, Barnes stated, “Rooting against an 18yr old is weirdo energy.”

While hate messages may continue to dominate the headlines regarding Bronny, it is important to note that people like Barnes also stand behind him in support.