King James might just get his wish.
The speculation is over. Bronny James’ fate was a hotly-debated topic heading into the NBA Draft because of his father, LeBron. The GOAT candidate made it clear that he wanted to play alongside Bronny before he walked off the court. And he got his wish on Thursday, June 27. Bronny James was selected by Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the NBA Draft, according to ESPN. The 19-year-old was the 55th pick.
The Lakers’ decision is historic. It marks the first time in NBA history that a father and son will play in the league at the same time. Naturally, they will will the first father-son duo to do it on the same team as well. LeBron James has been pushing for the acquisition of Bronny since 2023, when he told reporters that he had one more item on his career bucket list. “I need to be on the floor with my boy,” he announced. “I got to be on the floor with Bronny.”
Bronny James And His Dad Have Already Made NBA History
Welcome to the Purple & Gold š pic.twitter.com/6NPsHXbXlz
ā Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) June 27, 2024
King James isn’t the only Lakers star who has vouched for Bronny James. Anthony Davis praised the teenager’s abilities during a pre-draft interview with ESPN. “He’s very good defensively,” Davis told the outlet. “He can read the floor very well. I think he’s a really good playmaker.. I think he’s going to be fine, man. Obviously it’s a lot of pressure on him with his dad being who he is.” The pressure is something that Bronny himself has addressed. He acknowledged the extra attention he’s gotten is largely due to who his father is, but asserts that he will prove himself an NBA-worthy player if given the opportunity.
Bronny James was hounded by questions about playing with his dad well before the draft. He was able to maintain focus on himself, however. He told the Los Angeles Times he was more concerned with being a good player, than getting to be on the court on with family. “I would be happy about getting to the league instead of me thinking about playing with my dad,” he noted. “But thatās not my mindset at all. Iām just trying to put in the work and see where it takes me.” It’ll be exciting to see where Bronny’s career goes from here.
