NBA (DR) / Bleacher Report (DR)
Officially signed by the Lakers, Bronny James must now face the controversies related to his contract as well as his duo with his father. The young rookie also gave his honest opinion on the subject, in a press conference.
Ultimately, it was inevitable that Bronny James would make his Lakers debut.
His agent Rich Paul, who incidentally also happens to be his father LeBron’s agent, had even done everything he could to ensure that other franchises wouldn’t get their hands on the USC player. Special treatment?
Not according to his new coach JJ Redick, who was clear:
Bronny was given nothing. Bronny earned all of this by working hard.
Given the recent controversy surrounding Bronny’s contract , it’s not certain that Redick will convince many people with his words.
Even though he was just drafted, he already has a fully guaranteed contract with the Purple and Gold.
That never happens for a second-round pick, he was selected in the 55th position… So the favoritism seems pretty obvious at this point.
Bronny James Honest About His NBA Debut
Suffice to say that the 2024-25 season will be eventful for the King’s son, who will have to justify this decision by the management while proving himself while the attention towards him will be increased tenfold, in particular by the presence of his father at his side.
We have known simpler professional debuts… Questioned at a press conference, Bronny reacted honestly to his meeting with the superstar:
The pressure has increased, for sure. I’ve seen people on social media say that I don’t deserve an opportunity.
There are a lot of people who have something to say about that, but I’ve dealt with this stuff my whole life, so it’s no different. It’s definitely more amplified, but I’m dealing with it.
While waiting to see him in action in the Summer League, the guy will have the opportunity to take ownership of the Angelinos’ playbook.
Bronny also admits that he is obviously not yet up to speed on this subject:
We haven’t gotten too far into that yet. Especially since we haven’t started summer league yet. But it’s just stuff he’s told me my whole life.
You’ve got to have a good work ethic, work hard, listen to your coaches and be coachable.
Bronny James will be one of the most scrutinized rookies in the 2023-24 season, perhaps the most scrutinized of all even as a 55th overall pick. Luckily, he has a great guide in LeBron James to help him deal with such treatment. After all, the Chosen One experienced it himself in his early days in the big leagues.
