The Los Angeles Lakers made a decisive move when they drafted former USC basketball star Bronny James with their late second-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. James revealed his true feelings about joining the Lakers on social media recently.

James was asked a plethora of questions in an interview for fans to get to know him, via the Lakers X (formerly Twitter) account. One of the most notable answers James gave was on how he felt when the Lakers drafted him:

“[When I] heard my name called, it was a lot of emotions,” James said.

Furthermore, James provided insight into why he chose his No. 9 jersey.

“Well, there wasn't many numbers available for me to pick. Nine was one of the ones that you know, resonated with me especially because I have three of them tattooed on me. Juice World's 999, meaning it's turning everything negative and flipping it upside down,” James added.

Many fans and analysts were split when James decided to enter the 2024 NBA Draft. He averaged just 4.8 points during his freshman year with the USC basketball team. James' freshman season started late after his recovery from a concerning cardiac arrest he suffered during the summer of 2023. Nevertheless, he impressed scouts with standout performances at the NBA Draft Combine.

Bronny James looks to overcome doubts during Lakers stint 

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James did not have the season he was expected to with USC, but he remained a highly-touted prospect. He was a McDonald's All-American and was ranked No. 23 on ESPN's Class of 2023 Top 100. James is aware of those who doubt his ability to be successful at the professional level. When asked what he would tell a younger version of himself, he gave an inspiring answer.

“That's there's going to be a lot of people that don't want to see you win. And you're going to go through a lot of ups and downs, but you know, you're a hard worker, and keep going,” James said, via the Lakers on X (formerly Twitter).

James will likely spend a significant amount of time playing in the G League during the 2024-25 season. Doing so gives him more development time that he missed during his shortened season at USC. It will be interesting to see how his career unfolds as he joins a world-class organization alongside his father, LeBron James.

The Lakers look to improve off their 2024 playoff showing and make a deeper run in 2025.