“He was treated as someone apart, not like all of us, and that is very annoying as we didn’t feel any chemistry in this group of players,” one Lakers Summer League player said about Bronny James. This added to the tense narrative that existed around the 20-year-old. However, around the Lakers facility, James was nothing but loved. JJ Redick hailed his work ethic, calling him extremely coachable.

From a convenience point of view, it would be easy for Bronny James to hold a higher moral ground than other rookies. He is LeBron James‘ son, after all. However, the exact opposite has taken place. Dan Woike revealed that not only are teammates ecstatic with having James in the locker room, but he has also created a great impression.

“Bronny is like really really well-liked within the locker room. He’s really well-liked by the media, he’s really well-liked by his teammates, by his coaches. He’s a really good worker, great kid. People like being around him. He’s funny, he’s very much like seen but not heard like as a rookie,” Woike revealed.

But while the good is visible, Woike does acknowledge that things could have become ugly as well. “This could have been like a disaster in a lot of ways in terms of like a lot of hurt feelings in the locker room. Things about like nepotism and favoritism and different stuff like that,” he pointed out. However, the 20-year-old is grounded, and his demeanor has brought radiating energy to the Lakers locker room.

“He’s shown an indication that he’s willing to work. he does not carry himself, you know he doesn’t violate one of the big NBA-like locker room unwritten rules which is like know your place. Like he does not violate that rule like ever in that locker room as far as anything that I’ve seen or heard,” he said on Good Word with Goodwill.

Bronny James wants to be treated like any other rookie. Before Anthony Davis was traded, you saw one of those seniority moments. Davis made him get off his seat, a sign of the typical rookie treatment. He also joined other rookies to sing LeBron James, the happy birthday song, another moment that went viral.

Aside from that, he is doing the groundwork and following a strict process. In his year of development, Bronny is a regular in the G-League and is playing better the deeper the season goes. Likewise, with that mindset, it’s hard to fault his attitude. But still, the criticism doesn’t stop. And while he doesn’t care, the same can’t be said about LeBron James.

How can LeBron James not be sensitive?

One moment has been going viral. LeBron James stepping up to Stephen A. Smith during a Lakers game has got everyone talking. The premise was rather expected. The Akron Hammer didn’t want the savvy analyst to mention his son and attract more scrutiny than what already exists. It was a direct step that he took as a father, Smith explained. But is it possible that James is a little “sensitive” when it comes to Bronny?

From the prism of a father, it is a natural impulse; a father would want to hear bad things about their son. And in James’ case, it’s no different. Dan Woike revealed that long before confronting Smith, the father didn’t like analysts criticizing Bronny James during the Summer League earlier this year.

“He has been sensitive to conversations about Bronny James since I saw LeBron at Summer League um this year ahead of the Olympics… He played well and LeBron was like at even that day was like talking about people who were who were saying bad things about Bronny,” Woike recalled.

Having faced extreme pressure at 18, LeBron James is numb to criticism. However, as a father, even Woike understood how it gets “personal”. His recent confrontation with Smith was an example of those feelings leaking away. And any criticism against Bronny James might harbor similar feelings.

But it isn’t always going to lead to what happened with the popular ESPN analyst. James, out of everyone, understands how cruel the media can be when there’s a talking point. Bronny James is going to be subject to this for probably his entire NBA career. Hence, where he can control those emotions, the 40-year-old has. But, of course, in the case of Stephen A. Smith, things went beyond the line in his view.