In a move that surprised nobody, the Los Angeles Lakers picked up USC guard Bronny James with the 55th overall pick in the draft. LeBron and Bronny are now the first-ever father-son duo to be in the NBA at the same time.
Bronny James is selected 55th overall by the @Lakers in the 2024 #NBADraft presented by State Farm!
Watch the Second Round on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/BnxozT7CGj
— NBA (@NBA) June 27, 2024
It was a historic moment for the NBA and another milestone for LeBron, who has long indicated his desire to share the court with Bronny. On social media, however, the reaction among fans was mixed. This is uncharted territory for the NBA and really all of the major sports — and many fans, analysts, and experts aren’t sure how to feel or react.
I'm gonna be honest, it's pretty sad to see a kid seem to have so little control over his own life. Yeah, he has some great opportunities in front of him as a result of those making decisions for him, but this has been a pretty rough watch from afar. https://t.co/aJzQCiAf7K
— Anthony F. Irwin (@AnthonyIrwinLA) June 27, 2024
You can’t blame LeBron James, 6’9″ for using his power and influence to team up with his son but it still rubs some people the wrong way thinking about how they’ve handled this whole process.
ESPN just spent 30 minutes with four panelists lecturing anyone who might have questions about drafting Bronny after averaging 4.8 ppg on 36% from the field. Very weird television.
— Andrew Sharp (@andrewsharp) June 27, 2024
In the end, however, we can all agree that this is a pretty cool story. From LeBron’s longevity to Bronny’s perseverance to make the league, it’s an impressive feat all around and one that is worthy of recognition.
https://twitter.com/BENBALLER/status/1806453399195717904
Pretty cool man. First father son duo to play in the NBA. As a father, that has to be the best feeling in the world. Congrats to Bronny l!
— Matt Leinart (@MattLeinartQB) June 27, 2024
For Lakers fans, though, it was a moment of pure bliss and celebration as it marked the completion of one of their primary goals for the summer.
LAKERS DRAFT BRONNY JAMES WITH THE 55TH PICK pic.twitter.com/AEcvudavTY
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) June 27, 2024
Despite the negativity, support was strong for Bronny online and countless fans around the world are rooting for him to succeed.
Whether you like the pick or not, please don't take this out on Bronny…all he is is a kid tryin to live out his dream and he's handled all of this exceptionally well from the jump
— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) June 27, 2024
It remains to be seen how the fans will embrace Bronny but they could turn on him quickly if the Lakers struggle to win games next season. Love him or hate him, Bronny will be judged by what he does on the court and he’ll have to work hard in order to keep the Lakers fans happy.
congrats to Bronny I just care more about winning. I don’t care about no father son shit if my team ain’t winning
— Gaza Jim (@Staydafuckmad) June 27, 2024
The word “nepotism” has been thrown around a lot recently to describe this situation. And while it’s obvious that Bronny gets a special advantage for being LeBron’s son, he’s not the only one to get a spot in the league due to his relationship with a player.
For LeBron, a 4x NBA champion, it’s only natural that his influence be used in full force to achieve one of his lifelong dreams. And now that it’s officially been realized, we can expect him to re-sign with the Lakers this summer on a one or two-year deal.
In 25 games for the Trojans, Bronny averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game on 36% shooting. Those are modest numbers for an NBA prospect but the Lakers are optimistic that he can elevate his game playing alongside his dad and under new head coach JJ Redick.
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