After Bronny was drafted with the No. 55 overall pick in the 2024 Draft, he now joins his dad, LeBron James, on the Los Angeles Lakers, making them the first father-son duo in NBA history.
Considering how hard it is to become a professional athlete in any sport, the fact that Bronny was able to overcome the pressure of being the son of the world's all-time leading scorer, and still make it to the league, speaks volumes on the 19-year-old's mental toughness.
LeBron discussed Bronny's journey to the NBA in a sit-down interview with ESPN.
"Just imagine if you were a kid, you were born into a situation where your dad was super famous, super wealthy, and you the kid still had the drive to want to be able to accomplish things for yourself... I personally don't know if I would've been able to do that if the roles were reversed," LeBron admitted.
New video: My @SportsCenter conversation with @KingJames from Las Vegas on the Lakers’ summer: his son, JJ Redick and a quiet free agency pic.twitter.com/b9BfXRg6U4
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 8, 2024
"When I was coming up, I had no choice... I had to make it out for me. My mom, my family, my hometown, my city... If Bronny wants to stop right now or never play basketball or just wanted be a gamer or wanted to be a chef, he could have done that... People don't understand how hard that is, and the commitment for him to be coming out of heart surgery less than a year ago, for him to be able to be in the NBA, the kid, he's special."
During his Freshman year at USC, Bronny had to overcome adversity, as he suffered cardiac arrest while participating in a practice last summer.
In view of how his season went, many tend to point out the underwhelming statline, of only averaging 4.8 points (36.6% FG, 26.7% 3P), however, current and past NBA players have noted that Bronny is more built for the pros than the college style of play. Certainly, he has showcased defensive prowess and deep-range shooting, which will enable his game to carry over to the next level as many scouts see him developing into a solid 2-way contributor, being a 3-and-D archetype player.
Bronny spoke to reporters about those referencing him only making it to the NBA because of nepotism.
"I've already seen it, media and on the internet and stuff talking about I might not deserve an opportunity, but I've been dealing with stuff like this for my whole life, so it's nothing different," James Jr. said. "It's more amplified for sure, but I can get through it."
After signing a four-year $7.9 million dollar contract, before even stepping foot onto an NBA court as a second round draft pick, Bronny will hope to quiet the haters, looking to put his talent on full display throughout the NBA Summer League games.
Related: Lakers Head Coach JJ Redick Silences Doubters During Rookie Press Conference: 'Bronny Earned This'
