NEW YORK — Years of speculation have finally come to an end. Bronny James, the eldest son of Lakers star LeBron James, indeed has a home in the NBA, on his father’s team.
Bronny James, one of the most highly scrutinized amateur basketball players of the past decade, was selected with the 55th overall pick in the NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. The selection ended 12 months of speculation about James’ place in the game, which included questions about his ability to compete professionally after suffering a cardiac arrest.
“My dream has always been to put my name out there, make a name for myself and, of course, make it to the NBA,” James said at the NBA Draft Combine in May.
Bronny: Los Angeles Laker. pic.twitter.com/TvhkzEs9sO
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) June 27, 2024
The Lakers went 47-35 last season, losing to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. LeBron averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists in his 21st season. He has until Saturday to extend his current deal with the Lakers, or he could opt out and sign a new deal as a free agent in July. The maximum new deal he could sign is $162 million over three years.
Bronny turned pro after just one year in Southern California, where he averaged 4.8 points and 19.3 minutes in 25 games and struggled with his shooting touch. He entered college as the 17th-best prospect in his high school class, according to consensus rankings, but even as he struggled, he carried the allure of his father’s stated dream of one day playing together in the NBA.
That idea was seriously challenged a year ago. James collapsed during a USC practice last July after going into cardiac arrest caused by a congenital heart defect. He was hospitalized for about two days, and the James family quickly expressed confidence that he would recover. Yet James himself said at last month’s meeting that the episode had left him shaken, with lasting effects.
Bronny James is selected 55th overall by the @Lakers in 2024 #NBADraft presented by State Farm!
Watch the second round on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/BnxozT7CGj
— NBA (@NBA) June 27, 2024
“I still haven’t forgotten that memory,” he said. “I feel like my parents played a big role in believing in me and giving me the love and affection I needed at that time. But I still think about everything that could happen. I love this game so much.”
James’ improved health and presence on the court have reignited discussions about whether he is talented enough to be drafted. That conversation in basketball circles and beyond took on a new dimension when LeBron James said two years ago that he wanted to finish his career with his father and son on the same team. “My last year is going to be with my son,” James said during the Lakers’ visit to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team that drafted him at age 18 in 2003.
“Wherever Bronny is, that’s where I’ll be.” I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for a year,” LeBron James said in February 2022.
LeBron James plays with his sons Bryce and now teammate Bronny during All-Star Weekend 2010. (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Since then, Bronny has had that hope ingrained in his outlook. Teams and the media have speculated about how James’ value could be influenced by his father’s desires. The easy and common question is: Would a team draft Bronny to attract LeBron?
Bronny James has only worked out for two teams, the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers. Rich Paul, his agent at Klutch Sports, said James will not sign a two-way contract, a common move for developmental players.
James said he believed he would be recruited on his own merits.
These two are now teammates in the NBA.@King James x Bronny | @Lakers pic.twitter.com/MyWiJ8tfaW
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) June 27, 2024
“It’s a serious matter, and I don’t think you can think about ‘I’m picking this kid just because I’m going to get his dad,'” he said last month. “I don’t think a general manager would really allow that. »
He added: “I worked hard and I would be drafted not only because of the player but also the person that I am.”
James now has a place in the NBA and the chance, like many of his peers, to show that he can build his own career and make a name for himself. That’s all he ever asked for.
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(Photo: Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
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