The Los Angeles Lakers are always in the news, for better or worse. They are one of the most historic teams in sports so everything that they do gets magnified.

The team’s decision to draft guard Bronny James out of USC in the 2024 NBA Draft certainly created some narratives. Despite a poor season with the Trojans, James decided to enter the draft to pursue his dream of making the NBA.

It always seemed destined for him to end up with the Lakers, considering that his dad plays on the team. The choice to draft James created the first ever father-son duo to play on the same team in NBA history.

But being the son of LeBron James isn’t easy. It means trying to live up to the hype of his legendary father while also dealing with the criticism that comes with it.

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Lakers owner Jeanie Buss has been fairly quiet about the selection of Bronny James for the most part.
Recentlly, she appeared on the Los Angeles radio show, Petros and Money, and praised the young guard.

“Yeah, I mean, again, we have to let the kid have an opportunity to play and prove that he should be in a Laker uniform. And everything that we’ve seen from him and about him and his work ethic, just some of the things he’s had to overcome being the son of a big star. He works hard, he’s dedicated. He really wants to do this. And if we can have a roster of players with that same mentality, then I think the sky is the limit.”

The Lakers will be patient with James, but to have the owner on his side is huge. He is likely to spend most of his time in the G League this season as he develops his game to reach the NBA level.

Bronny James
Nobody is expecting him to be on the same tier as his father, especially with him being the No. 55 pick in the second round of the draft. But the former USC guard seems determined to prove his doubters wrong.

If given the chance, he could end up becoming an impactful NBA role player. He has shown strong defensive instincts already, something that many players don’t have.
His jump shot is a work in progress but James is still only 19 years old. He has plenty of time to grow and develop into the player that the Lakers believe he can eventually become.