Despite struggling to find his footing in the NBA, Bronny James is carving out his own path – one that’s markedly different from his father’s. LeBron recently opened up about his son’s NBA journey on Travis and Jason Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast, offering rare insight into the pressure facing the NBA’s most scrutinized rookie.
“Bronny doesn’t have to play basketball at all. It’s not like he needs the money,” LeBron explained, highlighting a crucial difference between his son’s path and his own meteoric rise two decades ago,While Bronny’s appeared in just nine NBA games for the Lakers, totaling four points, three assists, and one rebound in 22 minutes, his G-League performance paints a more promising picture. Playing for South Bay, he’s averaged 14.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 26.9 minutes per contest over nine games.
Yet while his on-court impact remains a work in progress, Bronny’s had standout business success. His jersey sales have shattered records, generating over $50 million in revenue for the Lakers and surpassing even his father’s rookie numbers. With an estimated NIL worth of $5.9 million as of May 2024, Bronny’s portfolio includes partnerships with Nike, Beats by Dre (where he became the first high school athlete to sign), and several other major brands.LeBron acknowledged the unique challenges facing his son, particularly in the social media era:
The criticism of Bronny has been sharp and relentless. Skip Bayless recently questioned whether Bronny belongs in the NBA “now or maybe ever,” while others have scrutinized the Lakers’ handling of his G-League assignments. However, according to LeBron, Bronny remains unfazed,
Their father-son dynamic reached its pinnacle when they became the first such duo to share an NBA floor on opening night, a moment LeBron had envisioned since Bronny was in middle school.
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