Los Angeles Lakers draft decide Bronny James, left, and his father, LeBron James, share a light-weight second as they arrive for the NBA basketball crew’s information convention in El Segundo, Calif., Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP Picture/Damian Dovarganes)
EL SEGUNDO, California — Bronny James says the chance to play professionally alongside his well-known father performed no function in his resolution to enter the NBA draft.
Now that the 19-year-old son of LeBron James has been chosen by the Los Angeles Lakers anyway, Bronny says he can nonetheless deal with all the additional consideration and stress whereas the James household makes basketball historical past.
“I’m … making an attempt to get my title out for myself,” Bronny stated Tuesday. “I simply need to are available in and get my work in and get higher each day. I by no means actually had a considered me going to play with my dad. That’s all the time there to participate of, but it surely wasn’t a principal focus of mine.”
The Lakers formally launched Bronny James and their first-round decide, Tennessee wing Dalton Knecht, in a information convention at their coaching advanced. Los Angeles chosen Bronny with the fifty fifth general decide final week, creating the potential for an NBA first.
No father and son have ever performed within the league on the similar time, not to mention on the identical crew.
READ: NBA: Bronny James prepared for stress after ‘surreal’ Lakers transfer
“Simply having that work ethic… listening to your coaches and being coachable.”
Bronny James on conversations he is had with LeBron as he begins his NBA journey 🌟 pic.twitter.com/L8rDO82ERY
— NBA (@NBA) July 2, 2024
“It’s for certain amplified the quantity of stress,” Bronny James stated. “I’ve already seen it in (social) media and on the web and stuff speaking about (how) I may not deserve a chance. However I’ve been coping with stuff like this for my complete life. It’s nothing completely different. It’s extra amplified for certain, however I can get by means of it.”
Bronny reiterated that he didn’t bounce to the NBA simply because his 39-year-old father continues to be an energetic participant, acknowledging he didn’t essentially share his father’s oft-stated dream of enjoying within the league collectively. Bronny additionally knew he couldn’t management the place he was drafted, regardless of what he’s learn on social media just lately concerning the Lakers’ decide being a nepotistic effort to maintain LeBron James with the Lakers for the remainder of his profession.
Bronny James is the oldest son of the NBA’s profession scoring chief. LeBron James has spent the previous six seasons with the Lakers, and he’s all however sure to return to the crew although he’s presently a free agent after declining his $51.4 million participant choice for subsequent season.
LeBron James quietly watched his son’s introductory information convention from the again of the Lakers’ gymnasium at their coaching advanced.
Bronny stated he’s higher ready for the challenges forward of him due to “stuff that (LeBron) has been telling me my complete life. Simply having that work ethic, and coming in and getting your work in, and listening to your coaches and being coachable, stuff like that he’s pushed into my head my complete life.”
READ: NBA: Bronny James to put on No. 9 jersey with Lakers
Bronny James deftly answered questions on every part he’ll face after leaping straight to the NBA from one brief season of school basketball. He performed inconsistently final winter at USC after recovering from a daunting cardiac occasion in July 2023.
“The time that I had off, I really feel like I might have been perfecting my sport extra,” Bronny stated. “I simply really feel like I’ve been given the chance to showcase what I can actually do, as a result of I wasn’t on condition that a lot of a chance at SC. So I’m excited for what it’s going to be.”
Relatively than spending one other yr in faculty, Bronny stated he expects to enhance his sport within the Lakers’ participant growth system being arrange underneath new coach JJ Redick, who emphasised the need of growing expertise from inside the group after basic supervisor Rob Pelinka employed him final month.
“Rob and I didn’t give Bronny something,” Redick stated. “Bronny has earned this by means of arduous work. For us, prioritizing participant growth, we view Bronny as Case Examine 1, as a result of his base stage of really feel, athleticism, point-of-attack defender, capturing, passing, there’s quite a bit to love about his sport. As we construct out our participant growth program holistically, he’s going to have the chance to be a superb NBA participant.”
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Bronny James and Knecht each count on to play for the Lakers’ summer time league groups in Sacramento and Las Vegas this month.
LeBron and Bronny James are prone to be a part of a brief checklist of fathers and sons who’ve performed collectively in North American skilled sports activities. Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. performed along with the Seattle Mariners throughout elements of the 1990 and 1991 MLB seasons, whereas hockey nice Gordie Howe performed together with his sons Marty and Mark with the WHA’s Houston Aeros and the NHL’s Hartford Whalers.
