Bronny James is yet to play a game for the Lakers after getting selected 55th overall. But by the time he takes to the court for the Lakers, he and his father LeBron James will be the highest-scoring father-son duo in NBA history. The duo surpassed Kobe Bryant and his father Joe for that position.
LeBron James is the all-time leading scorer in NBA history, having scored 40,474 points in his career. And obviously, Bronny hasn’t scored any points in the NBA yet.
For comparison, Kobe Bryant scored 33,643 points during his NBA career, and Joe Bryant scored 5,252 points in his career. The Bryants combined for 38,895 points in their careers, still almost 2,000 points behind James’ career total.
Bronny James is determined to follow in his father’s footsteps and find success in the NBA.
As mentioned before, the Lakers selected Bronny in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, taking him with the 55th overall pick. James was determined to play for the Lakers, with his agent Rich Paul warning other teams that he would play overseas if they selected him.
It was a no-brainer for the Lakers to select Bronny. While he won’t factor that deeply into their rotation next season, his presence keeps LeBron James happy and encourages him to sign a long-term extension with the Lakers. However, Lakers GM Rob Pelinka came out and said that isn’t the reason they drafted Bronny.
It was reported that Anthony Davis was also quite impressed with Bronny’s workout with the Lakers. It is possible that he and the rest of the Lakers liked what they saw out of the former USC player, and told the franchise to draft him.
Bronny’s stats at USC were nothing spectacular, with him averaging 19.4 minutes a game, 4.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists during the season.
But much of James’ lack of playing time can be attributed to his health scare last year. The Lakers will be hoping that with steady minutes and ample development, Bronny can become a solid contributor in the NBA for the long-term future.
Adrian Wojnarowski Defends Bronny James From Nepotism Critics
Many NBA analysts have raised questions about Bronny James’ position in the league because of his familial ties to LeBron James.
NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski defended Bronny, saying that several players and figures in the NBA have found success in the league because of their relationships to current and former players, and cheekily brought up the example of Leon Rose, Rick, and Jalen Brunson.
“I don’t want to hear these charges—people talking about nepotism. The NBA is full of nepotism: the ownership level, front offices, coaching. I don’t want to hear it all of a sudden because Bronny James’ father plays for the Lakers. It is rampant in this league.”
“I find the Lakers’ nepotism unseemly. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to congratulate Leon Rose, who used to be the agent of Rick Brunson, who is an assistant coach and the father of Jalen Brunson, whose godfather is Leon Rose and whose agent is Sam Rose, on reviving the Knicks.”
For LeBron James, getting the chance to play alongside his son in the NBA must be a dream come true, and will be a key factor in him re-signing with the Lakers. While James has stayed tight-lipped about his future, he is all but guaranteed to sign a new deal with the Lakers and stay with them long-term.
James and the Lakers will be looking to make a run to the NBA Finals next year but will find it difficult in the stacked Western Conference. New head coach JJ Redick will have his work cut out for him handling the Lakers as they look to match the Celtics and win their 18th NBA championship next season.
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