Bronny and LeBron will become the first father-son duo in NBA history when the elder James re-signs with the Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers have selected Bronny James with the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Bronny is the oldest son of NBA legend LeBron James. They will now become the first father-son duo to ever play in the NBA at the same time. If LeBron decides to return to the Lakers on either a new contract in free agency or through his player option for next season, they will be teammates next season.
That is the outcome the James camp had seemingly been aiming for all along. During ESPN's broadcast of the second round on Thursday, Bob Myers reported that Rich Paul, agent to both father and son, was advising non-Lakers teams not to draft Bronny, suggesting he would go to Australia instead. This strategy seemingly deterred other teams and allowed him to land in Los Angeles.
Bronny had been among the top prospects in his class for years before ultimately deciding to play college basketball at USC, just down the road from where his father played for the Lakers. His lone college season was derailed when he suffered cardiac arrest during a preseason workout. Though he recovered enough to play for the Trojans, he struggled in his only season, averaging just 4.8 points on 36.6% shooting in a limited role.
His NBA projection is not based on his performance at USC, but rather a combination of his pedigree and his achievements at the youth level. Although he hasn't inherited his father's size or once-in-a-generation athleticism, he is a good athlete overall and plays a high-IQ style of basketball, as you'd expect from LeBron's son. His best trait is his point-of-attack defense, and while he is relatively small at 6-foot-1, he is strong and has a long wingspan of 6-foot-7, which allows him to potentially guard bigger players.
Defense can earn a player early minutes, but for Bronny to establish himself in the NBA, he needs to enhance his shooting ability. Unlike his father, he is not a high-usage ball-handler. His potential path to a successful professional career lies in a 3-and-D role. However, he faces a challenge, having made only 26.7% of his long-range attempts at USC and struggling with his three-point shooting throughout his amateur career. This aspect of his game requires significant improvement.
For years, LeBron has expressed his desire to play alongside his son towards the end of his NBA career. However, their pairing on the Lakers next season is not guaranteed. LeBron can opt for free agency this offseason, though with Paul's strong push to unite them, it seems increasingly likely he will stay. Yet, Paul may have used this uncertainty as a tactic to facilitate Bronny's move to the Lakers.
"LeBron is off this idea of having to play with Bronny," Paul told ESPN before the draft. "If he does, he does. But if he doesn't, he doesn't. There's no deal guaranteed that if the Lakers draft Bronny at 55, he [LeBron] will re-sign. If that were the case, I would have insisted they take him at 17. We don't need leverage. The Lakers can draft Bronny, and LeBron doesn't have to re-sign."
If both members of the James family are Lakers next season, they would be the first father and son to play on the same team in any major North American professional sport since Ken Griffey Jr. and Ken Griffey Sr. did so as members of the Seattle Mariners in 1990.
Ever since the Lakers dismissed Darvin Ham as their head coach, they have publicly emphasized their commitment to player development. New head coach JJ Redick reiterated this focus at his introductory press conference on Monday. The Lakers have a solid track record of developing players who were not high draft picks. LeBron can draw inspiration from examples such as undrafted free agents Alex Caruso and Austin Reaves, as well as low picks like Josh Hart, Kyle Kuzma, Larry Nance Jr., and Ivica Zubac, knowing that the Lakers will provide him with the support needed to thrive.
The Lakers have always viewed themselves as a family business. Dr. Jerry Buss kept his children deeply involved in the team's operations, and now his daughter, Jeanie, leads the organization. This family-oriented approach could now extend to the court if LeBron opts to remain in Los Angeles. His longstanding desire to play alongside his son could finally be realized.
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