To the surprise of nobody, the Los Angeles Lakers drafted Bronny James with the No. 55 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, pairing him with his dad, LeBron James. In the weeks that have followed, the Lakers and LeBron James have been accused of nepotism by bringing Bronny James to the team. During a recent BIG3 event, however, Lakers fan and LA rap star Ice Cube dismissed those criticisms while speaking with Brandon ‘Scoop B' Robinson of Scoop B Radio.
“It don't matter. The thing is a father should help they son to get to the next level whether it's basketball or business or it's a job,” Ice Cube said. “Wherever you can help your own family, you gotta do it.”
In the weeks leading up to the NBA Draft, Bronny's agent Rich Paul did not have him work out for any other teams besides the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns. On draft day, former Golden State Warriors executive Bob Myers said he was hearing that interested teams were being told Bronny would head to Australia if they drafted him.
What's been lost in most of the discussion, however, is that Bronny was a legitimate NBA prospect in his own right. After an underwhelming freshman season at USC, he used as strong combine showing to put him back on the radars of NBA teams.
Bronny James ready for Lakers career alongside LeBron James
Lakers fans got their first look at Bronny James when he suited up for the team during NBA Summer League. Bronny played in six total summer league games in Las Vegas and the California Classic in Sacramento and San Francisco. He averaged 7.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals. He shot 32.7 percent from the field, 13 percent from the three-point line and 25 percent from the free-throw line.
Bronny's shooting percentages were obviously a concern, but his defense was one skill that was on display that can translate immediately to the NBA. Bronny also looked better as Summer League went on. In one of his final games, he finished with 12 points and shot 5-of-11 from the field.
Bronny signed a four-year contract with the Lakers worth around $7.9 million. During the 2024-25 NBA season, he will likely spend most of his time in the G League with the South Bay Lakers.
Bronny played one season at USC after making a remarkable return to the court following a cardiac arrest scare. He declared for the NBA Draft following the end of the NCAA season.
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