It must be hard being a star player that the whole world watches, but what would be more difficult is if your father was on the same team and watching you up close with harsher expectations. That is what the major part of both Shedeur Sanders and Bronny James’ careers have been like. With Deion Sanders and LeBron James being on their respective teams, the two prodigies face the constant pressure of living up to their fathers’ legendary legacies. Yet, what’s more interesting to note is that they both struggle with ‘daddy issues’ on the field or court, but it looks like they’re coming to terms with the reality of it all.

On one of the episodes from Uninterrupted’s “The Shop” show, the NBA GOAT LeBron James was questioned on whether Bronny is allowed to refer to him as “dad” in the locker room or the court and this is what the Lakers’ player had to say. He said, “[He] cannot call me dad in the workplace. Once we leave out the private facility and the gates close, I could be dad again [and] in the car if we ride together, at home I could be dad.” This indicates that while the games are going on, the relationship between the father and son is negated to strictly ensure the camaraderie of the sport.

Similarly, as for Shilo and Shedeur Sanders they don’t refer to Deion as “dad” during their practice sessions or anywhere else during the season. When asked about what they call him, Shilo replied with, “Coach Prime,” while Shedeur spoke about how the communication is limited since everyone on the offense has their own “operation” to carry out individually. Though the two star kids have similar issues regarding their fathers being on the same team, the speculations point out that Bronny is a ‘nepo baby’ while Shedeur has rightly earned his spot in the Buffs’ squad.

Shedeur has earned his merit in the NCAA, which can’t be said for Bronny

The son of LeBron drew a lot of fire towards his name when he declared for the 2024 NBA Draft after just a year of playing college basketball with the USC Trojans. The 6 feet 1.5 inches, 210-pound guard didn’t show a lot of his talent in his first year with the Trojans. He recorded a 4.8 point average, 2.1 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.8 steals in the entire season, which isn’t impressive enough for someone who plans to go to the NBA in the very next season.

Whereas, Shedeur will be playing his last and fourth final year in college this season and has recorded exemplary stats, which will most likely rank him in the top-5 picks for the 2025 NFL Draft. As per Andscape’s William C. Rhoden, Bronny James will have to face the music further down the line when it comes to proving his mettle against the giants of the NBA, while Shedeur will be well-prepared for the challenge. He said, “In the ethos of competitive sports, where merit truly matters, I wonder whether LeBron James — in his quest for posterity — has done his son a disservice in the long run. That’s one burden Shedeur Sanders, Deion Sanders’ youngest son, won’t have to carry. He knows he’s earned it.” Thus, Shedeur is being ranked high when it comes to the sons of these legendary players, but he’ll have to be consistent throughout this season to ensure he ends up at the top of the board during the 2025 NFL Draft.