21 years after the Cleveland Cavaliers took St. Vincent-St. Mary phenom LeBron James with the first pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers selected USC freshman Bronny James with the 55th overall pick.
The way that LeBron James Jr. has been discussed, you might have thought he was the No. 1 pick too.
Lakers’ LeBron James Gushes Over Son’s Rise
Considering his father’s larger than life shadow, Bronny was always going to be placed under a microscope. Partially due to his dad’s detractors, there were always going to be doubters and hecklers. However, because of his calamitous freshman season, there was actually outrage when he started being discussed as a potential draft pick.
The vitriol that many athletes have received is unwarranted. This atmosphere had a particularly acrid taste to it though. Those that simply believed he should return to school to work on his game couldn’t be faulted. Yet there was an ever-growing mob of angry protesters who thought it ludicrous that he was being ludicrous that he would be thought of as a draft prospect.
Many of them have probably put their pitchforks down by now.
In the past week, he’s recorded a career-high 17 points in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks and followed it up with a career-high 39 points while on a G League assignment. Asked about his development, the elder James tells the Pat McAfee Show that he’s “super proud” of his son’s growth.
“For me as a dad I’m just super proud of Bronny as a man..
As a mentor and as a teammate of his I’m super proud of his development as a player” @KingJames #PMSLive https://t.co/LeuG0HFuGs pic.twitter.com/bTEYJqlOmj
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 26, 2025
“Listen, for me as a dad, it doesn’t matter if he never scores ever. As a dad, I’m just super proud of him period as a young man,” he admits.
“For me as a mentor and as a teammate of his, and that wants to see him thrive because I’ve seen the work he’s put into the game, I’m super proud of his development to where he is now.
His development has skyrocketed.”
Like Father, Like Son
In a basketball journey that began in Ohio, much like his father, the younger James rose up the ranks to become a four-star recruit, McDonald’s All-American, and top-20 high school prospect. His college announcement was highly anticipated, with schools like Kentucky among those to extend an offer to him.
By then though, he had been in California for several years thanks to his dad’s decision to leave the Cavaliers for the Lakers. Consequently, he chose to stay home. Technically, home could apply to Ohio too of course, and Ohio State was among the favorites to land him. Nonetheless, he chose a Trojans program that allowed him to be near his family.
What happened next was completely out of his hands. During an offseason training session, he collapsed due to cardiac arrest. He was subsequently hospitalized, his concerned family searching for answers.
According to his dad, one of the first questions Bronny asked after his heart surgery was when he could play again.
LeBron on Bronny’s commitment to basketball after his health scare in the summer of 2023: “He asked the doctors, ‘When can I pay again?’ Not, ‘How long is it going to take for my heart to heal?’ Or not, ‘How long was I in surgery?’ None of those. He asked, ‘When can I play?’” pic.twitter.com/Z5Na4PGtoF
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 22, 2024
That anecdote alone should make it clear how passionate he was about the sport. So, despite the onslaught of criticism, he has no problem pursuing his dream. The jeers don’t deter him, they just make him more determined.
Because he had a much less difficult upbringing, his motivation to succeed veer from his father in some ways. Bronny’s never made such a grand statement as he wants to be remembered as the greatest of all-time. However, like his father, he loves with the process.
“(Bronny’s) doing things right less than two years and it’s because of his determination and his will to want to get better.”
With that in mind, the combination of natural talent and hard work gives many players a chance to excel in the NBA, no matter the ratio. Lucky for both James’s, they’ve been blessed with a fair bit of both.
© Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
