Two years ago, on a rainy night deep in the San Fernando Valley, I went to watch Bronny James play. That year’s Sierra Canyon team was notably worse than those of years prior. Bronny was the only All-American on the team and the only upperclassman with real NBA potential. In previous years, he could hide behind his NBA caliber teammates, but not that year — this was his team. That night, Bronny threw down a powerful between-the-legs dunk in game — his most famous highlight to date. While throwing an eastbay in-game is not a guarantee of basketball excellence, I would argue that it does show a brilliant flash of raw talent. A talent which, given Bronny’s 6-foot-2 frame, was truly remarkable.
Whenever anybody speaks to me about Bronny’s lack of talent, or says that his position in the NBA is solely a result of nepotism, I think back to this moment. That night, I left the gym certain of his basketball potential.
In Bronny’s first month at the University of Southern California, he suffered a life threatening cardiac arrest, putting his dreams of playing alongside his father into real jeopardy. This moment demonstrates a significant, intangible trait — Bronny’s resilience and actual determination to succeed and live up to the expectations of his birthright. To play basketball again, let alone work towards training for an NBA season after nearly dying in practice, requires something deeper than simply having LeBron James as your father.
But it is also true that any other All-American in his position would have stayed at least another year or two in college, especially after missing most of his first-year season due to health circumstances and subsequently playing fewer minutes. Per game, Bronny averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 19 minutes — stats which indicate that his development has been deeply altered by the setback. Thus, these doubts about his development trajectory are often made in good faith, with many people arguing that he is simply not prepared for the leap toward the NBA level and that his abilities as a basketball player could ultimately be higher had he spent a few years developing his game at USC.
While simply playing with his father was his initial goal, one for which he worked his entire life, Bronny now stands at the foot of a much more difficult mountain to climb: proving he belongs in the NBA. I believe that he can attain this, but it will require a tremendous amount of work to succeed. Bronny could end up as a good backup point guard, akin to a Davion Mitchell — a quick defender with good length and athleticism, and a solid-enough three point shooter. If he can raise his level significantly, he has the potential to be of value as a role player.
While some may believe that Bronny can unlock this next level in his game, there are legitimate doubts about his actual talent. Bronny simply does not look like an NBA player, averaging a measly 0.7 points, one rebound, one block and 0.3 assists in 11.9 minutes per game during the preseason. He plays timidly, uninterestedly meandering in to help defenders, filing dejectedly into the corner while throwing side glances at the bench players whose minutes he steals. Tragically, he has internalized the imposter syndrome generated by his unique circumstances.
Yet I always think back to that night in Chatsworth. I remember what I saw, what I witnessed with my own eyes. It was legitimate basketball talent. Bronny’s success will inevitably come down to something nepotism and his namesake cannot provide him with: the determination to prove his doubters wrong, a tendency that his father epitomizes better than maybe any athlete. If Bronny is wired in any way like LeBron, he can succeed, and if he does, nobody will ever criticize the Lakers’ decision. As long as Bronny proves that he has the integrity to live up to his role as a player on the Lakers, it does not matter how he acquired that position.
There is also a real possibility that Bronny is unwilling to put in the necessary work to maximize his potential, and the decision to draft him will look worse and worse by the year, permanently painting him as a nepo baby who never truly deserved his spot. Bronny may never become an independently contributing player. He may remain unplayable for his entire career, keeping roster spots only on his dad’s teams.
On Tuesday, LeBron James Jr. will begin his path toward proving that he is his father’s son. Bronny will drape himself in the esteemed Lakers’ purple and gold, perhaps holding himself to be the spiritual heir of his father’s legacy.
It is his burden alone to prove that he is no more than a jester.
