Lakers Make History Drafting Bronny James, Pairing Him With His Father

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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 Facts

  • Basketball legend LeBron James and his son, LeBron "Bronny" James Jr. will become the first-son duo in NBA history to play on the same team after the Los Angeles Lakers selected the younger James with the 55th pick of the 2024 NBA Draft on Thursday.

  • After one season at the University of Southern California (USC), Bronny wasn't considered a top prospect by most draft analysts, however, his future was one of the top storylines from this year's draft due to his father's immense status in the league.

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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.

CBS

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.

Los Angeles Times

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