Can Bronny James Live Up to the Hype?

It seems unrealistic that a late second-round pick in the NBA Draft would face more public scrutiny than even the most desired players, but it becomes all too clear considering his last name. The NBA’s 2024 Draft sparked a lot of discussion due to one history-making pick: LeBron “Bronny” James Jr., who was signed to the Los Angeles Lakers. This meant he would play alongside his father, the legendary LeBron James. Bronny was the 55th pick in the draft, a slot that rarely receives a 4-year contract. Yet, instead of the more common two-way contract negotiation, Bronny got a great deal with a top team, which begs the question of what other factors led to his entrance to the big leagues.

Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Bronny James’s career has been under the spotlight since it began, highlighted by his impressive high school career. But his college basketball career was much more mediocre, averaging under five points per game in one season with USC. In his 34 games with that team, his shooting numbers of 37 percent from the field and 30 percent beyond the arc are not quite impressive by NBA standards, leading to his low ranking in the draft. However, 55th round draft picks have rarely had as promising NBA careers: Cady Lalanne failed to turn his 55th spot into a meaningful NBA career, while others drafted at that position played in a small number of games, like Isaiah Wong, who had one appearance. His college average was 4.8 points per game, significantly lower than that of the last three years’ late second-round pick average, 10.6. Simply put, Bronny’s stats alone would not be enough to secure any other player a four-year contract with one of the NBA’s best teams. Bronny has not started on the average path for someone with his skill, which lays on the pressure of failure.

The attention brought on Bronny has been a lot to handle, and has undoubtedly had an impact on his confidence. “I feel like I've been given the opportunity to showcase what I can really do,” Bronny said. He also expressed doubt in his effort in the past: “I feel like I could've been perfecting my game more,” suggesting his intention to become an even more dedicated athlete. But his doubt may also come from the fact that his draft was heavily influenced by PR. The Lakers notoriously choose players who don’t need any improvement as the team’s main goal is to keep them. The best way to achieve that is to listen to their demands and since LeBron has not been shy in voicing his hope to play with his son, the Lakers must have had that in mind when selecting their draft picks, especially with the influence LeBron has in the basketball world. The NBA’s business goals are ultimately to increase profits, and Bronny is hypothetically an incredible marketing scheme based on the attention surrounding him and his father. Whether he will have a lasting impact on the success of the Lakers as a team is another story.

LeBron James has set out extreme expectations for his son, and Bronny will have to fight to meet them throughout his NBA career. He is strongest as a defender, which requires a high IQ and constant concentration, both of which are qualities that Bronny possesses. However, his weak offensive stats played a larger role in this evaluation: in college, Bronny only shot 26.7 percent in his three-point attempts. Yet Bronny’s sports agent Rich Paul doesn’t seem concerned. While Bronny shows promise on the defensive end, he recognizes that “[there are] other components of the game he has to get better at, and he will.” Since Bronny has the mental skills that can’t be taught, it is very possible that he can quickly improve on these parts of his game.

NBA teams may also have been interested in him because of the incredible resilience he displayed when he overcame an incident of cardiac arrest while playing for USC. Bronny returned to the court just six months after the incident, which not only speaks volume about his strong character and determination, but may also have stunted his improvement as a basketball player. Bronny has taken his recovery from a career-threatening cardiac arrest as a sign to keep fighting and has shown potential early in his career that the Lakers may have seen as an investment for the future. In a summer league game against the Hawks and number one pick Zaccharie Risacher, Bronny showed his strengths, sinking multiple three-pointers and finishing the game with 12 points to his name. Bronny is capable of bringing the heat, but still has a long way to go as he’s scored two points or less per game throughout the regular season.

JJ Redick, the new head coach of the Lakers, is optimistic about the promise Bronny has already shown and the growth he will have on the Lakers. “I did not give Bronny anything… He has earned this through hard work”. Redick continued by saying “there’s a lot to like about his game,” debunking the claim that Bronny did not work for this opportunity.

Paul had more to say about what the beginning of Bronny’s career needs to look like. Referring to his position on the Lakers, Paul said that “Bronny has to work his way, and he will.” This statement aims to address the lingering question of nepotism’s role in Bronny’s circumstances gracefully by turning the focus onto Bronny’s hard work and dedication in contrast to his youth. This is the most common response to nepotism accusations as there is no avoiding the fact that his father had an impact, though the extent to which he did can only be speculated on. 

In the short time that the Lakers have played this season so far, Bronny has already begun fighting to make a name for himself in the NBA. Despite the odds, other second-round picks have become stars, showing Bronny indeed does have a fighting chance. First though, he needs to prioritize catching up to the level of the NBA. As Bronny steps into a league riddled with expectations, he will need to utilize his strengths to prove his worth, both on and off the court.