Despite the regular season being in full swing, one of the biggest talking points around the league was Bronny’s underwhelming season and his future in the league. Being LeBron James’ son guarantees a spotlight, but it also invites intense scrutiny, especially when performances don’t meet lofty expectations. However, maybe the scrutiny wouldn’t have been this intense had it not been for James himself putting the spotlight on his 19-year-old. At least that’s what Stephen A. Smith thinks.

In a recent episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, the veteran analyst remarked, “I’ve never gone to see Brony James play because I didn’t want to judge him with a keen critical eye like I would any basketball player because I think him being LeBron James’ son, there’s a level of expectation that gets heaped on his shoulders that I think is grotesquely unfair, but I also think that unfairness has been instigated to some degree by LeBron James.”

To Smith’s point, LeBron James appears to have inadvertently fueled much of the chatter surrounding Bronny’s potential NBA career. James has openly expressed his dream of playing alongside his eldest son since 2018, even before Bronny was in high school. Not stopping there, LeBron has boldly declared his willingness to join any team that selects Bronny, going as far as to suggest that money is not a sticking point. To add to it, James has chimed in on such discussions more than once.

In a move that could only heighten expectations, LeBron James drew parallels between his son and current NBA players. Last March, he took to social media, proclaiming, “Man Bronny definitely better than some of these cats I’ve been watching on league pass today.” And then once again, in January, after the Lakers lost to the Memphis Grizzlies 127-113, James reportedly said, “He [Bronny] could play for us right now. Easy. EASY.” To be fair to James, Bronny was going to have the spotlight on him regardless of what his father said, thanks to his stupendous surname. Unfortunately, his on-court performance didn’t quite match the hype surrounding him. But he is just getting started.

Bronny has important decisions to make this coming summer

The Trojans guard averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 19 minutes a game during his freshman season at USC. This is a stark departure from his high school stats, where he averaged 13.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.8 steals as a senior at Sierra Canyon High. However, he did manage to showcase flashes of his defensive prowess and game awareness at the collegiate level.

Something to also keep in mind is that his first season was not without its challenges, as he battled through a frightening health scare in the preseason. After experiencing a cardiac arrest and being diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, Bronny underwent surgery and faced a five-month recovery period before returning to court in December.

And just this Friday, he announced that he will declare for the 2024 NBA Draft while also maintaining his college eligibility and entering the NCAA transfer portal after his freshman season with the Trojans. However, which path he will ultimately take will be an interesting story to watch this summer.

Read More: Bronny James’ NBA Path Stir ‘Scripted’ Allegations, as Analyst Points At Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Brother For Blueprint