“I’ve held out for as long as I could, but I’m just not seeing LeBron James Jr. as an NBA player, now or maybe ever.” Skipless didn’t hold back on his doubts about Bronny James. And honestly, he wasn’t the only one. With a slow start to his rookie season, many critics started questioning if Bronny even belonged in the NBA or if he was better suited for the G League. The pressure of being LeBron James’ son made things worse—every mistake was magnified, every missed shot another reason for skeptics to pile on.

Well, critics can’t be blamed fully either. His poor number made him a very easy target for criticism. He was putting up just 1.4 points, 0.4 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game—far from eye-catching. Even though coach JJ Redick tried to offer some justification for his poor performance previously, people weren’t buying it. Just when the doubts were at an all-time high, Bronny shocked the fans with his recent performance. Well, this was a different Bronny James, that came to the Milwaukee Bucks recently. Is this the start of Bronny following his father’s footsteps?

Gilbert Arenas’ love for Lebron is not a secret. So when Bronny shook the world with his performance, Arenas quickly shared Bronny’s big night on Instagram. On his Instagram story, he wrote, “Oh they Mad NOW @bronny100 The Prince is Fighting back 🔥🔥🔥.” And it’s easy to see why. Bronny put up 17 points, three rebounds, and five assists while shooting an impressive 7-for-10 from the field. He also knocked down two three-pointers and played with a confidence fans hadn’t seen before. Even though the Lakers lost 118-89, Bronny’s performance reignited hopes for the fans.

So how much truth is there to Arenas’s claims? It was the first time Bronny was in the court for 30 minutes and it really showed a huge difference! Compare that to the usual five or six minutes he gets. Could it be the reason why he was finally able to turn things around this time? To Arenas, this seems to be the case. He even boldly claimed, “If [Bronny] played 36 minutes per game… He’d be top 5 for Rookie of the Year.” Maybe his slow start wasn’t about talent at all maybe he just needed a real chance.

Is all the criticism against Bronny James justified?

LeBron James isn’t just an NBA legend—he’s also a father. And when it comes to his son, Bronny, he’s not afraid to defend him. So after Stephen. A. Smith’s relentless criticism on the young talent, ‘King James’ finally took the time to express his thoughts face-to-face. LeBron confronted Smith courtside after a Lakers game. The news was huge, and even Smith later revealed that the confrontation was about how LeBron was upset over his comments about his son.  But was he just being a protective dad, or was there a bigger issue at play?

Well, Dwyane Wade certainly had LeBron’s back. When asked about the incident, Wade didn’t hesitate. “I would’ve done the same thing,” he said. But Smith wasn’t backing down either. According to Smith, he was not specifically targeting Bronny with malice. It was more toward LeBron pushing his son into the spotlight.

Amid all this, Bronny finally shared his thoughts about the situation. He admitted the criticism gets to him sometimes, even though he tries to block it out. “I see everything that people are saying, and people think, like, I’m a f—— robot, like I don’t have any feelings or emotions,” he said. And how could it not? People haven’t been pulling their punches back while criticizing Bronny.

However, despite just being 20 years old, Bronny has learned how to use negativity to fuel himself. “I see the progress,” he added.

So, what’s next for Bronny? He’s improving, and the Lakers believe in him. But the bigger question is—will the media ever stop comparing him to his father? Well, it’s one of the curses that comes with being the son of one of the greatest in the game. Hopefully, Bronny will be able to carve his legacy despite all the hate.