Bronny James must earn his spot with Lakers, but no one should question his heart
USA TodayJUN 2024
Lakers Make History Drafting Bronny James, Pairing Him With His Father
Above: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers greets his son Bronny James on the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on November 19, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Image copyright: Katelyn Mulcahy/Stringer/Getty Images Sport via Getty Images North America
The Spin
Narrative A
The Lakers’ drafting of Bronny James and uniting him on the same team as his father exemplifies the beauty of sports. Raised without a father, LeBron James Sr. overcame childhood adversity to become not only a superstar basketball player but also a fantastic dad. Some may complain about nepotism or try to make this story about Rich Paul pushing other teams away, but at the end of the day, the focus should be on a father realizing his dream and giving his children what he never had.
Narrative B
There's certainly a heartwarming element of LeBron James fulfilling his dream of playing alongside his son, but Bronny's selection will increase the weighty pressure on his shoulders. It's clear that the younger James will never come close to the player that his father is, and playing alongside him will only make it harder for Bronny to carve out a career independent of his legendary dad. This move also shows that the Lakers are more committed to appeasing a 39-year-old player than building a team.