[Los Angeles Lakers](https://lakersdaily.com/) guard Bronny James entered the league under a microscope despite the fact that he was selected with one of the last picks in the 2024 NBA Draft. That’s because his father LeBron is one of the best players ever to step foot on an NBA court and has defied Father Time with his longevity in the league.
NBA trainer Chris Brickley spoke on all the hate that’s been directed the younger James’ way and said that it’s “f—– up.” Brickley also reminded folks that the younger James didn’t ask to be the son of an NBA legend.
> “It’s f—— up ’cause at the end of the day, he didn’t choose to be LeBron’s son,” Brickley said. “He’s a great — he’s literally a great kid. And you can tell it’s a sore spot for the family. I wouldn’t want someone messing with my kid. None of you guys would. But Bronny’s actually really good. I think he’s just gonna peak in a year or two.”
The No. 55 overall pick in last year’s draft appeared in just 27 of the Lakers’ 82 games played in the 2024-25 regular season and averaged 2.3 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. Additionally, he shot just 31.3 percent from the field and 28.1 percent from 3-point range.
Some folks were disappointed that the younger James didn’t make more of an impact in his first season at the highest level because of his surname. But it’s also evident that there are people who need to temper their expectations for the younger James, and just because he shares DNA with an all-time great doesn’t mean he’s destined to follow in the elder James’ footsteps.
Though the younger James isn’t exactly trending toward superstardom after his maiden NBA season, he could very well still grow into an effective role player at the highest level. He showed plenty of promise playing for the Lakers’ G League affiliate last season, and maybe he will be able to see the floor more often for Los Angeles as a sophomore in the 2025-26 campaign.
Hopefully, the younger James won’t live under his father’s shadow for much longer, and he will still be kicking around in the league long after the 40-year-old decides to hang up his jersey and retire.
The elder James is already the NBA’s oldest player, and he could call it quits on his pro career sooner rather than later. It’s of note that his current contract has just one year remaining.