Many people believe that Bronny was selected by the Lakers through “connections”, mainly because LeBron James played in Los Angeles, and not because he had the talent to match the club’s 55th pick.

This coming NBA season, LeBron James will have a few new teammates. The most prominent is none other than his son Bronny, whose real name is LeBron James Jr.

Knowing that Bronny is often the target of attacks from overzealous fans, LeBron James took to social media to publicly defend his son ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season.

“Let the gossip and hate go and just keep practicing, son. You will know what you are capable of. They certainly won’t know that,” LeBron James encouraged Bronny.

LeBron James’ son Bronny in a Los Angeles Lakers jersey at the NBA Summer League in July

As one of the most anticipated rookies in the NBA in the 2024-25 season, Bronny James has been under fire since he was selected in the NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Many believe that Bronny was selected by the Lakers through “connections”, mainly because his father played in Los Angeles, rather than having the talent to match the club’s 55th pick.

This is not necessarily wrong, as Bronny James has only played one season at the college level, averaging just 4.8 points with 2.1 assists and shooting 26.7% from 3-point range with the USC Trojans.

Bronny James did not leave much of an impression at Summer League

The above statistics are far from what NBA talents usually have. However, a factor that is rarely mentioned by the online community is that LeBron James’ son suffered a mild stroke more than a year ago, right before the 2023-24 season began.

This caused Bronny to spend months recovering, completely missing the training and pre-season preparation period with his teammates. When he returned to the field, the player 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 in 2004 appeared lost and took a long time to catch up with his teammates at USC.

Before his heart problem, Bronny James was rated 5 stars with strengths in tactical vision and defensive ability. These are also two aspects that Bronny wants to develop when he sets foot in the NBA.

LeBron James will be on the same side as his son Bronny James at the Los Angeles Lakers

Coming to the NBA quite early, Bronny James is expected to experience many difficulties in the Los Angeles Lakers jersey. This is a team with high championship expectations and little “space” for young talents to show off.

LeBron’s son will first be tested a lot in the G-League, then gradually find official playing minutes in the NBA. And no matter how many challenges he faces, Bronny will definitely have the absolute support of LeBron James next season.