Bronny James’ Summer League experience seems to be positive. He started off very slowly and was the butt of jokes and criticism as he couldn’t connect on his long-range jumpers and seemed out of sync in finding his rhythm on offense.
As far as the franchise and the team is concerned, everyone seemed to be highly supportive of the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, but recent reports have surfaced that teammates are speaking out against the special treatment he received after getting drafted.
One issue was the minutes that Bronny got. LeBron’s son played 25 minutes per game, given every opportunity to get comfortable, catch up to the speed of the game and showcase his skills.
Anonymous Teammate Of Bronny James’ Summer League Team Says His Presence Hurt Chemistry
Now that Summer League is over, one anonymous Lakers player, according to The US Sun, is coming forward to trash Bronny for allegedly damaging the team’s chemistry.
Which isn’t farfetched considering the mountains that were moved to not only get Bronny drafted to his father’s team, but then to convince everyone that he had earned his spot and his $8 million guaranteed rookie deal was warranted.
Via The US Sun
A player who was part of the Lakers’ Summer League team confirmed that with “almost everything centered around Bronny,” it was tough to enjoy hooping.
“I mean, he was treated as someone apart, not like all of us, and that is very annoying as we didn’t feel any chemistry in this group of players,” the player said.
The player said players on the team were frustrated because the Lakers were giving Bronny all the shine while everyone else was fighting for a roster spot.
“I ended up being very frustrated because I was never put in the best situation, or even put in some plays or game plans because they wanted Bronny to show his skills and shine,”
“If you talk to any other player that was part of the roster of the California Classic and the Summer League, most of them would tell you the same thing.
“The tensions were visible, and pretty much we were all thinking about the end of the Summer League to get out of here and focus on our next step in our careers.”
With LeBron James wielding the power to end careers in media and in the NBA, it’s not surprising that the source would not attach a name to these comments.
It’s also not surprising that guys also fighting tooth and nail to be accepted into the NBA and fulfill their dreams are not happy with what is clearly preferential treatment for Prince James.
That’s how people see it and when other guys in Summer League are legit earning their minutes and Bronny doesn’t leave the court regardless of how he plays, it can be disheartening for other guys on the team and create some inevitable resentment.
By all accounts, Bronny seems to be a great teammate and he is protected to some degree from his father’s legendary persona.
It won’t be enough to keep Bronny in the league, but he will get at least four years to prove his worth, according to his contract.
Several former players and analysts have expressed their displeasure with the JJ Redick hiring and the Lakers using their second-round pick (55th overall) on Bronny James who played less than a season at USC and didn’t average 5 points per game.
Former NBA Player Steven Hunter Called Lakers Picking Bronny An “Egregious Abuse Of Power”
Former NBA player Steven Hunter was one of the more vocal opponents of Bronny James being drafted. He went as far as to call it an “egregious abuse of power” that the legends such as MJ and Kobe would never do for their sons if they didn’t earn it.
“For those that don’t know… Late second round picks don’t get guarantees (Especially before summer league). Typically, late second round picks don’t get 4-year guaranteed roster spot deals either. This wasn’t earned, I’m sorry… And it’s an egregious abuse of power from LBJ and Rich Paul,” Hunter said via his IG account (Steven Hunter/Instagram: @s_dot45).
Hunter continued: “It’s a slap in the face to all of the kids out there who work their a—- off to get to the league. It’s sneaky Hollywood s— like this that turns a lot of people off about LeBron… This is just another example of what they are talking about right when you try to like ’em. This is why most people prefer MJ or Kobe over him because you know at least MJ or Kobe gone be straight shooters…”
Matt Barnes Says The Hate Comes With The Territory For NBA Players’ Sons
LeBron went as far unfollowing some analysts such as Rachel Nichols, who were harsh in their criticism of Bronny James and his future as an NBA player.
Former NBA player Matt Barnes has two up-and-coming sons with NBA dreams who play for Paul George’s youth basketball squad. Barnes says getting hated on when your father is an NBA player comes with the territory.
“When you’re a pro’s son or a former pro’s son, there’s a bigger spotlight,” Barnes said in a recent interview with the Athletic. “There’s a lot of people who love you — but there’s just as many people who hate you,” the “All The Smoke” podcaster added.
As long as Bronny James is in the NBA and not performing at a high level, people will have something to say. It will ultimately be up to him as to what kind of contributor he can be to a pro team’s success. For now, he will roll with the punches, and everything he does will be judged through a magnifying glass. He will have to work past the criticisms and accusations of nepotism and forge friendships based on his own personality. Such is the burden when you’re King James’ son.
