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There’s only so much Bronny James can do to control the narrative surrounding his ascension after he was drafted by the Lakers, but JJ Redick didn’t do him any favors when he went out of his way to assert LeBron’s son “earned” a spot on the team for reasons that have nothing to do with that relationship.
Countless kids have grown up dreaming about getting the chance to play in the NBA, but the vast majority of them are eventually forced to come to terms with the fact that an incredibly tiny percentage of the population actually has what it takes to achieve that goal.
Bronny James came one step closer to becoming one of those people when the Los Angeles Lakers selected him with the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and it’s safe to assume he and LeBron will become the first father-son duo to ever play together in an NBA game at some point next season.
Of course, the team’s decision to use a lottery pick on someone who averaged 4.8 points per game during his only season at USC has been a very hot topic of conversation among people who’ve positioned Bronny’s situation as one of the most egregious cases of nepotism to ever unfold, and it’s a bit hard to argue otherwise based on the optics surrounding the decision.
Most scouts seem to agree James is a talented prospect who has obviously benefitted from being under the tutelage of one of the most legendary players of all time but would’ve benefitted from at least a couple more years in college before declaring for the NBA Draft.
It seems likely he could’ve made it to the league on his own merits if he’d gone that path, but it’s almost impossible to argue he did that with the one he chose to go down when you consider there’s virtually no scenario where someone who posted the stats he did at USC would’ve attracted the interest of any NBA team if they weren’t LeBron’s son.
JJ Redick nonetheless decided to push a laughable narrative when James was introduced alongside first-round draft pick Dalton Knecht at an introductory press conference on Tuesday where the newly hired coach of the Lakers was effusive to a fault while praising Bronny.
"Bronny has earned this through hard work… There's a lot to like about his game"
Head Coach JJ Redick on Bronny pic.twitter.com/gErxwOWWvi
— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 2, 2024
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka essentially acknowledged the reality of the situation when he said the team had given James an opportunity to play in the NBA before Redick decided he needed to correct a record that wasn’t really in any need of fixing, saying:
“Rob and I did not give Bronny anything. Bronny has earned this. Bronny talks about his hard work. Bronny has earned this through hard work.
For us, prioritizing player development, we view Bronny as Case Study One, because his base level of feel, athleticism, point-of-attack defender, shooting, passing; there’s a lot to like about his game.”
Based on the majority of the reactions that clip has gathered since it started to make the rounds online, fans are not buying what Redick is selling, as he’s been thoroughly flamed for arguing Bronny “earned” this opportunity through his hard work while ignoring the LeBron-shaped elephant in the room.
At this point, I honestly wish Bronny the best and hope he finds some success in the NBA, but let’s at least be honest about why he got there in the first place.