Time passed. The memory did not. After the Los Angeles Lakers fell 111-89 to the Boston Celtics on Sunday night, LeBron James admitted something that had been obvious for a while. He never forgot what Jaylen Brown said about his son.
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Asked about his relationship with Brown, LeBron kept it real.
"It's been respectful," he said. "Besides the stuff he said about Bronny in Summer League."
That was July 2024 in Las Vegas, when Brown was caught on camera telling players he did not think Bronny James was a pro and suggested his roster spot would come because of his name. The clip went viral. The reaction followed.
It’s a flex to have your son alongside you in the nba it reflects greatness and longevity !Bronny has all the tools around him to be successful I look forward to watching his growth https://t.co/qO4muFSvrn
— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) July 16, 2024
Brown later addressed it on social media, praising LeBron and saying Bronny had the tools to succeed. It was not an apology, but it was a walk back. Enough to cool things down. Not enough to erase it.
LeBron said the post helped. He also made it clear the feelings lingered.
"We'll be all right," he said. "Bronny's got a long way to go."
Bronny, now twenty one, was taken by the Lakers in the second round of the 2024 draft. He has appeared in twenty nine games this season, averaging just over two points per night. He is developing. He is learning. And he is doing it under a microscope few rookies ever face.
LeBron heard the noise then. He still remembers it now.
