During The Shadow League ‘Locker Room’ with Osei The Dark Secret, ex- Houston Texans running back Jonathan Wells reveals that he thinks it’s fair for Bronny James and Mike Tyson to enjoy the perks of being major celebrities and captivating figures.
Is Preferential Treatment Of Bronny James Warranted?
Bronny James‘ preferential treatment, from his second-round draft position to the Lakers giving him a fully guaranteed $8M contract had already rubbed plenty of people in the sports world the wrong way. The criticism heated up when Bronny was not performing well and it was announced that he didn’t have to fly standard with his other G-League team members and wasn’t enthralled with their Marriott accommodations, so he also was housed in an upgraded hotel.
Wells isn’t trying to hear any of the feedback from haters.
“Yeah, I think it’s fair. His dad is LeBron James. That’s just how it goes,” Wells tells TSL’s “Locker Room” podcast. “You may not like it, but it’s fair. I’m not staying in a regular Marriott. He may have stalkers. … He has other things going on that you guys might not know anything about.”
Bronny James certainly brings his own fanbase to the show. In fact, he’s reportedly set a new NBA standard for rookie jersey sales. According to Marca.com, over 500,000 of his No. 9 jerseys have been sold, surpassing the record previously held by his father, LeBron James. At $100 per jersey, these sales have generated $50 million in revenue for the Lakers and their partners— so the hype surrounding the 20-year-old rookie is setting his brand value.
Did Tyson vs. Paul Help Or Hurt Boxing?
Netflix made their live sports debut with Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul drawing 65 million streams, but is this kind of spectacle bringing new life and attention to the game of boxing or turning a storied sport into a side show and undermining the credibility of boxing?
Overall, nobody who tuned in to watch was happy with the outcome. Some contend it was rigged. Others say Tyson held back when he could have knocked Paul out. Others say Paul was too young to be accepting a challenge from a 58-year-old punch-drunk champion with health issues, no matter the purse.
Wells doesn’t see any negative in Mike Tyson using his brand to get paid in his older age.
“65 million people watched it, what are we talking about?” Wells asked in a rhetorical fashion. “Obviously, there was an audience for it. Nobody got killed. Nobody got hurt. Mike Tyson signed up for it. That man is a real legit hustler, and you can’t be mad. If people want to tune in, he’s going to keep giving ’em a show.
