Bronny James has been in the spotlight his entire life.
With James' father, LeBron, being arguably the best player ever to touch a basketball, the 21-year-old Los Angeles Lakers guard was bound to have high expectations from the get-go.
Upon joining the Lakers in 2024, James received heavy scrutiny from skeptics who weren’t sold on Los Angeles drafting the USC product solely on talent/upside (James averaged 4.8 points and 2.1 assists per game on 36.6% shooting from the field and 26.7% from three-point range).
While James, averaging 2.2 points and 1.1 assists on subpar shooting splits through 38 games, is off to a slow start to his NBA career, he should be pleased with the ultimate plan his four-time NBA champion father revealed for him.
“I just want him to, you know, he has to walk his own journey,” the Lakers’ 40-year-old star stated during a recent episode of his Mind the Game podcast.
“I can give him the blueprint, and I can give him some of the things that I’ve seen, but I want him to walk through the fire as well.”
James will undoubtedly be better served running his own race in the big leagues. While it’s common for sons to try their hand at following in their fathers’ footsteps in every way imaginable, it’s always been more logical for the younger generation of hoopers to write their own stories and cement their own legacies.
James will always have the luxury of turning to his father for helpful tips and guidance as he navigates life in the big leagues.
However, it’ll be up to James to ensure he carves out a respectable career in the best professional basketball league in existence, which is how the former No. 55 overall pick should want it.
More NBA: Insider reveals new Luka Doncic post-Lakers trade details that should frighten rest of NBA