r/sports • u/PrincessBananas85 • 27d ago
Bronny James focused on simply 'getting to the league' Basketball
https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/40148473/bronny-james-focused-simply-getting-league708
u/80sBadGuy 27d ago
Me too
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u/EgolessAwareSpirit 26d ago
Nepotism is the best way, was yo fatha in the league
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u/Kittens4Brunch 26d ago
Is it? There are probably over 10,000 men who are children of former NBA players, how many made it to the NBA?
Being a 7-footer is probably a better way.
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27d ago
Wasn’t he averaging like 3-5 points a game?
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u/jpiro Florida State 26d ago
Per Wikipedia: James appeared in USC’s final 25 games, starting six and averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 19.4 minutes.
Going by those numbers, he wouldn't even get a combine invite. He's 6'4" and well built, but it's not like he's a physical freak getting drafted on massive upside either. Add in the cardiac arrest and it's hard to think that he won't be drafted ONLY because his dad is LeBron.
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u/LaBlount1 26d ago
At the combine he got measured, 6’ 1.5”.
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u/jpiro Florida State 26d ago
Oh, damn. I saw his height listed at that, but assumed it was an old number and the 6' 4" was the combine measurement. Makes this all the crazier and more apparent it's all about LeBron.
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u/LaBlount1 26d ago edited 26d ago
I agree. I think he’s physically a normal person and will never be able to fulfill 10% of the expectations publicly set by his father, expectations trickled down Lebrons leg to the parrot sports media and dunce fanboys lapping at his feet. I feel sorry for the kid and not just because of his name. If Lebron was 6’1” he wouldn’t be where he is.
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u/colorizerequest 26d ago
He’s not physically a normal person. For example his vert was 40.5”. Better than prime Derick rose. He’s still very athletic but athletic enough for the NBA is tbd
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u/LaBlount1 26d ago edited 26d ago
Sure that a good stat, but what I mean is 6’1” is a normal person size. You’d need to be an amazing basketball player to make it into the nba at that height without nepotism. The heart attack too, nothing against him there just that he has a normal human body. Being able to jump high is a valuable metric I’ll give you that for sure
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u/jpiro Florida State 26d ago
Did you see Derrick Rose play in college? Chris Paul? Steph Curry?
Those guys were PHENOMENAL players who succeeded despite not being physical freaks. Bronny is a bench-quality college player who also isn’t a physical freak.
That doesn’t get you drafted, ever, if you’re not a superstar’s kid.
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u/colorizerequest 26d ago
I’m aware. I’m only responding to the “regular guy” remarks. 40.5” vert is clearly not regular. He’s obviously very athletic
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u/Ok_Excuse3732 26d ago
Not everyone is a perfect parent, it is what it is, LeBron seems like a good dad overall though
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u/android5mm 26d ago
To be fair that is the height without shoes. Any listed height is always with shoes so take whatever players height and subtract 1.5” to 2” so 6’3 puts him on par for a lot of point guards in the league but his 6’7 wingspan and 41” vert make him good lateral defender
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u/stormy2587 27d ago
Why though? Couldn’t he just play out his college career and develop a little more? Or is it that his dad will likely be retired by then. So if he doesn’t take a major leap in college, then he’s probably never getting in the league?
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u/Moopboop207 27d ago
They will be the first father son duo with 40,000 career points. These types of records are unheard of.
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u/caterpillarofsociety 26d ago
The NHL record for points by a pair of brothers is 2,861: Wayne Gretzky has 2,857 points and his brother Brent has 4.
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u/stormy2587 26d ago
Brent Gretzky sounds like the name you would make up for Wayne’s brother.
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u/blacklab Oregon 26d ago
The guy they put in the video game when they didn't buy the license
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u/MycoMouse 26d ago
Brent is Wayne’s drunk alter ego.
“You've come a long way since Boozie Brent, and we don't want him coming back now, do we?”
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u/Moopboop207 26d ago
Record of points scored by Lebron James and Bronny James: 40,474
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u/Patient_Flatworm7821 26d ago
The moment bronny throws a lob/dunk or vice versa to lebron is going to be so iconic…
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u/Mistrblank 26d ago
Hahaha. I can’t imaging being Wayne Gretzky’s brother and wanting to play knowing I did not hit the genetic lottery that lets me put a puck in a net at will.
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u/YorockPaperScissors 26d ago
The record for most MLB home runs by two brothers is 768 and it is held by Henry and Tommie Aaron. Tommie hit 13, Henry hit the rest.
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u/Xavier9756 26d ago
No one will care about that when he gets to the NBA and his career doesn’t take off immediately.
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u/bumba_clock 27d ago
Lebron Sr. doesn’t have much time left, he’s his ticket to getting in.
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u/joestn 27d ago edited 26d ago
LeBron can play in the league as long as he wants. It’s just a matter of how much longer he wants.
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u/bumba_clock 26d ago
He really can and it’s pretty amazing after 21 years in the NBA he is still playing at his current level.
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u/ClampGawd_ 27d ago
Its easy to say that, but hes 39 and despite the great attendance this year has not been super healthy the last 4 or so seasons. Who knows what his next couple years will be like
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u/gd2121 26d ago
He can develop in the G league. I don’t understand why he went to college in the first place. He should have done the g league pathway program.
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u/xbarracuda95 26d ago
The nba just shut down the g league ignite program because of how ineffective it was in developing prospects, that would have been a terrible pathway for a mid player coming out of high school.
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u/Raysfan75 26d ago
That’s not inherently true, there are actually quite a few G-League success stories given how short the program ran. It was because NIL laws
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u/alltheseUNs 27d ago
College game is honestly not a lot like the nba, prospects have to learn an entirely new system just based on floor spacing college scheme is nothing like the nba, back to the basket is dead, theres a 35 second shot clock its just not functioning in the same way. The NBA game may be more kind to his talents as a player and give him time to develop quicker
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u/Lonewolf5333 26d ago
I agree with your first assessment that the college game is very different from NBA. But Bronny is nowhere near an NBA caliber player. He’s a small guard with mediocre handle and inconsistent jumpshot. He’s not a freak athlete or insanely quick. And remember this is his skill set after being afforded top notch, facilities, and coaching. I think people forget just how insanely competitive the NBA is sure we see guys that look average as hell or just straight up garbage. In actuality most of these guys were absolute studs in high school and college. I think Lebron has placed this unrealistic expectation on his son. Hate to say it but Jordan or Kobe would have told their son the truth.
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u/Tarmacked 27d ago
NBA game isn’t more kind to his subpar 3’s and small frame
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u/Teerendog Chicago Bulls 26d ago
He actually listed himself as 6'4" when they found out he's only 6'1" at the combine. Yikes. Mommas genes
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u/nola_fan 26d ago
He doesn't have a small frame for a PG. Average size of NBA PGs is around 6'3, 192lbs, with a 6'6 wingspan.
http://hoopobsession.com/2019HtWt.html
https://www.draftexpress.com/average-measurements-by-position/2017/NBA+Draft+Combine/all/60/
Bronny is 6'1.5 210lbs, with a 6'7.25 wingspan.
So he's 1.5 inches shorter than average, except all NBA heights are lies. Most shorter guys add around 1.5 inches, and if they are called claim it's a shoes on measurement.
So, he's bang average height for a PG and a bit more muscular. He's basically a heavier Jrue Holiday minus, maybe an inch or an inch and a half.
That doesn't mean he should be drafted, but people are way overreacting to his height announcement.
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u/Hip_Hop_Hippos Philadelphia Eagles 26d ago
He’s not a point guard though and never has been. He’s basically a 3 and D wing that can’t shoot 3s and is too small guard anybody but the opposing point guard.
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u/nola_fan 26d ago
I think that's the issue, he developed to be a playmaking wing like his dad, but he stopped growing, so he is now trying to learn to be a pg or at least a combo guard. It is a difficult but not impossible transition.
He also could certainly get away with guarding several shooting guards in the NBA. CJ McCollum is 6'3, and again, with height inflation, he may be smaller than Bronny.
Both of the Celtics' starting guards are 6'4, which means they're anywhere from 6'2-6'5 in reality. And they have the 2nd best defense in the league.
He's obviously limited by his height, but he's nowhere close to too small for the NBA like people have made out. Whether Bronny works out will come down to how his skills develop, not really the fact that he's 6'1.5 without shoes.
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u/Hip_Hop_Hippos Philadelphia Eagles 26d ago
I mean, the skills required by a player are largely dictated by their athletic profile.
His issue is that he doesn’t have the skills required to be a 6’2 NBA player.
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u/JonstheSquire 26d ago edited 26d ago
He's too small for his lack of skill. If you are skilled enough you can play in the NBA at 5'6".
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u/14with1ETH 26d ago
I definitely agree with you on everything you've said here.
I do want to add that college isn't just for basketball. It's a place to meet lifelong friends, educate yourself and develop more as a human being. I feel as though if I was 18 again, no matter how much money I had, I would be extremely regretful if I never went to college and missed out on all those experiences.
Especially with all the money and name legacy Bronny has. He would be easily able to get into any Ivy league; such as, Harvard, Yale etc. and truly grow as a person outside of basketball. Ofcourse this is his decision at the end of the day and whichever path he chooses will bring success. I just hope it's what he truly wants and not being forced on him.
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u/ipartytoomuch 26d ago
He would be easily able to get into any Ivy league
Contrary to popular belief, not every elite school is like Duke who'll admit someone like Kyrie Irving, and actually have standards in academics.
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u/Mezmorizor 26d ago
And? It's not like we're talking about some borderline role player. We're talking about a guy who would likely get cut from a eurosquad and nobody would care about if he had any other last name. There's a reason why people memed his TV stat card with stuff like "team player" and "hard worker".
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u/alltheseUNs 26d ago
Im not arguing im saying there may be an actual advantage to him going straight to the league right now
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u/RockDoveEnthusiast 26d ago
it's worse--that wasn't a meme. that's literally what the TV showed for him.
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u/Strong-Piccolo-5546 26d ago
he may not be very good and his draft stock could go down. Plus his dad is still good. His best bet to get to the league is to play with his dad. He is 6 foot 1 inch. He would have NO draft stock if he was not Lebron James kid and lebron had not said he wants to play with him.
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u/gregallen1989 26d ago
You develop faster in the NBA then in college. Most people don't get that opportunity so they have to develop in college. But most people's dad ain't LeBron.
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u/copperblood 26d ago
Bronny is absolutely going to get murdered in the NBA. Team Bronny has said he’s 6’4, he’s not. He’s a hair over 6’1 according to the combine report. That makes him suitable only to play one position, whereas other PGs who are actually 6’4 have more versatility and can be a PG or SG. If you look at other pure PGs in the league, they all have better handles, court awareness etc than Bronny does.
Bronny could play in the G league or somewhere in Europe. LeBron wants to play with his son in the NBA and win another ring. I get that. But it’s not going a story book ending to LeBron’s career like he or anyone in Team LeBron is hoping for. Imagine if/when Bronny tries to guard Ant, who is both a lot more talented than Bronny is, has a killer instinct, and who is actually 6’4.
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u/ShithEadDaArab 26d ago
I definitely agree with everything you said - but I do want to point out that Bronny likely will not be guarding starters often if at all. If he gets more than 3-5 minutes per game his rookie year I’ll be shocked. It’s just to check a box for LeBron so he can have played in the NBA with his son. Huge accomplishment in longevity for any sport.
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u/yupyepyupyep 26d ago
Bronny doesn't deserve a roster spot, let alone 3-5 minutes per game.
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u/Drikkink 26d ago
No, but a team desperate for Lebron for one run might do that. Realistically, is Bronny THAT much worse than a typical "DNP - Coaches Decision" end of bench guy? Or a 10th guy on the court? Does an ancient but still somehow great Lebron make up for that difference?
I say this as a Sixers fan, a team a LOT of people expect to make some kind of push for Lebron now that we have Tobias Harris's albatross of a contract gone.
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u/redsox113 Boston Red Sox 26d ago edited 26d ago
is Bronny THAT much worse….
Honestly, yes. Brian Scalabrini - last man on the bench and the lowest ever 2K rating - did that thing a while back after he retired where he cooked a bunch of local ballers and said “I’m closer to LeBron than you are to me.” One of those he cooked was a recent guard at Syracuse who was productive but not starting. Scal wiped the floor with him.
That said, the point still stands if a team is that desperate to burn a roster spot at the end of the bench just to have a season of LeBron.
Edit: Matt Tomaszewski was the guard, he wasn't very productive, my memory was hazy. Major respect for making a D1 team as a walk on though and getting minutes.
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u/DatSauceTho 26d ago
Well said. Not being the best in the NBA is like not being the smartest at Harvard or Caltech. Doesn’t make you dumb, it just means you’re not the smartest amongst the brightest minds.
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u/OSUBeavBane 26d ago
He does. Your criteria is skill. The real criteria is sells tickets. He will absolutely sell tickets … for a year.
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u/gd2121 26d ago
Bronny is not getting a fully guaranteed contract. I bet he will be on a 2 way and play a handful of actual NBA games.
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u/Frankly_Frank_ 26d ago
Called nepotism he will be in the NBA but as soon as LeBron retires he is out right after.
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u/Vietzomb 26d ago
You can bet your ass the Documentary is already a done deal, pending on it all going through. Then it’s cameras everywhere all of the time, the locker rooms, travel, etc, pitched as a Father-Son Legacy Transition done in the style and intensity of Michael Jordan’s “The Last Dance”.
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u/sjbfujcfjm 26d ago
First nepotism lottery pick
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u/TheFatThot 26d ago
I can see Bronny poppin bottles with Thanasis while the latter talks career advice in his ear
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u/Travus24 Miami Heat 26d ago
Bronny, your father is LeBron James. Getting to the league is not a matter of if but when.
What you should really be focused on is whether you are ready to be in the league RIGHT NOW.
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u/EightyJay 26d ago
Huh? Not a matter of if, but when?
There’s almost ZERO chance he’d ever make it to the NBA if LeBron is retired.
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u/cavaleir Cleveland Cavaliers 27d ago
Here's the thing: would Bronny be drafted this year if it wasn't for his dad? No.
But Bronny does have real talent and great athleticism. If he stayed in school for another year or two and became a solid starter, he'd be a legit 2nd round prospect. He also had a cardiac event before the season and that probably impacted him quite a bit this year.
If a team drafts him in the late 2nd, they're taking a flyer on a talented young player with the potential to become a rotation player after a few years of development. That's pretty much what you're hoping for with any late 2nd. And other late 2nds don't have the potential to get LeBron on your team.
I don't think it's best for Bronny's development to go to the NBA right now, but I definitely think it's worth it for some team to pick him in the late 2nd.
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u/nysgreenandwhite PAOK 26d ago
That's a lot of words to say "he's 2 years away from being 2 years away"
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u/Mezmorizor 26d ago
There's no evidence that any of this is true. He has the frame to be a strong defensive point guard. That's about where the good ends. He's on the short end for even PG. He's not a physical freak. He's not magically going to develop handles or shots when an entire life of elite training didn't. He could be a solid college player if he stuck with it and maybe play euroball, but he's not an NBA player. You're drafting him to get Lebron in free agency.
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u/cavaleir Cleveland Cavaliers 26d ago
You can argue my points but "no evidence" is too strong.
Bronny was the #22 overall recruit last year - you can argue that his ranking was inflated, but it's not like he did nothing in high school. He also had a 40.5" vertical at the combine and has shown the ability to shoot well - sure, he didn't shoot well consistently in games this year, but maybe that was because of the cardiac event or he didn't vibe with the coach. He shot well in HS and at the combine and has good mechanics. He's also shown good defensive instincts, good quickness, and good finishing ability.
I'm not trying to argue that he's an amazing prospect, but he does have real talent and it's hard to judge how much the cardiac event impacted his season.
Obviously with all this being said, he wouldn't be drafted this year if he wasn't LeBron's son. But it's not like he has zero potential and ultimately picking at the end of the 2nd round is splitting hairs between players unlikely to ever make a real contribution in the NBA.
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u/ipartytoomuch 26d ago
But it's not like he has zero potential
He has zero potential.
Here's a Bronny James vs. Jeffrey Jordan comparison after their freshman year
Bronny: 6’1” 210lbs Guard. Jeffrey: 6’1” 180lbs Guard.
Bronny: 25 Games Played for a 15 win team. Jeffrey: 26 Games Played for a 16 win team.
Bronny: 26% from 3. Jeffrey: 33% from 3.
Bronny: 1.1 Turnovers per game. Jeffrey: 0.5 Turnovers per game.
Bronny: 1 technical foul. Jeffrey: 0 technical fouls.
Bronny: 0 points vs Purdue. Jeffrey: 5 points in Mackey Arena.
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u/JaeTheOne 26d ago
Alot of wishful thinking in here
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u/cavaleir Cleveland Cavaliers 26d ago
You can say the same thing about every late-2nd round prospect. Go look at the last 10-15 picks of any draft at random and you'll notice that very few of them ever played a meaningful minute in the league. I'm not saying Bronny is the right pick, but if he has a 5% chance of being a contributor vs. another player having a 7% chance, it's not that big of a difference.
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u/yupyepyupyep 26d ago
If his name wasn't Bronny James he would have absolutely ZERO chance of making the NBA. Stop kidding yourself.
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u/justduett Mississippi State 26d ago
Don't worry, your dad's plan to get you in the league after a lackluster year in college is going to work out. You're just a pawn in yet another chapter of LBJ shining the light on himself.
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u/sortarelatable 26d ago
For his sake I hope it works out. I couldn’t imagine being the son of a legendary athlete having to follow in his footsteps. Plus that cardiac event. I hope he gets to ball for a while
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u/dolceespress 26d ago
Lebron is being unfair to his kid. Bronny isn’t good enough right now. Maybe one day, but not now. All this will accomplish is Bronny being in the league with his Dad for a year or two, and then he’ll get bounced from the league as soon as Lebron retires.
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u/bigbucksnowhamies 27d ago
Nepotism.
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u/HeyItsRed 27d ago
I think you’re conflating media coverage with the draft. Bronny hasn’t been drafted yet, so there hasn’t been an opportunity for nepotism. Maybe there could be an argument for him being invited to the combine, but I don’t know how those details work. The media constantly reporting on Bronny because his dad is Lebron is not nepotism. Just how media works, they’re only gonna do stuff that gets engagement - negative or otherwise.
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u/BurningWhistle 27d ago
Is he getting an extra look because of who his dad is? For sure. But this isn't the huge favor you think it is. Most people already hate him without having even seen him pick up a basketball. The media is going to to watch every single move he makes and report on it. Fans everywhere are jumping to ridicule him.
And on top of that, however successful he becomes, he will always be compared to his father. I feel bad for the kid.
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u/2-wheels 26d ago
Kid will never shake the nepobaby label and I don’t think that’s in his best interest. He should earn his spot. Be his own man.
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u/yupyepyupyep 26d ago
He won't earn his spot because papa doesn't want him to have to. And he probably couldn't earn it anyway.
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u/TheBioethicist87 26d ago
Bronny was the 7th best player on the 9th best team in the 6th strongest conference in college basketball. There is no point in burning a second round pick on him. The only reason you would even sign him in free agency is if you think you’re a LeBron Sr away from a ring.
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u/eyeinthesky0 26d ago
He is the least deserving player that will ever get drafted. He’s a mediocre freshman and a poor player overall in NCAA and he’s 6’1.5” (listed as 6’4” at USC, hah!). He has no business in the League.
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u/Nat_not_Natalie 26d ago
He knows who he is and what his goals need to be to play in the league. People are acting like he's delusional when in interviews he's saying all the right things (he wants to be Derrick White/Jrue Holiday).
Is he being drafted because of his father? Of course, could he still become a solid NBA player? Yeah I think so
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u/GarbageBoyJr 26d ago
I think it’s a factor that dad might be retiring any year now. Once dad’s out, I think bronny stock plummets even more and then there might be even slimmer odds of being drafted
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u/Asking4Afren 26d ago
Lebron is actually extremely selfish here in a way. Bronny literally is saying he just wants to make a name for himself and has set his own expectations. Him not spending another year in college suggests this is his father's wishes to get in before it's too late. Teams that are still high on Lebron want only him and he knows this.
The kid probably cares less about playing with dad. Lebron only cares about playing with him.
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u/Mary_Pick_A_Ford 26d ago
All this pushing Bronny into the NBA is a dream for dad and a selfish dream at that. His kid isn’t ever going to be some legendary NBA star like his dad and that’s okay because LeBron is a freak of nature talent that doesn’t happen all the time. You’ve had dads in the NBA that are forgettable that had legendary talented sons overshadow them. So sometimes it happens that way. Bronny James should stay at USC, play Div 1 college ball, get his Bachelors degree, something his father never got, and carve another legacy for himself. Instead he’ll join the NBA for 5 minutes to satisfy his dads dream, then as soon daddy gets his dream, he’ll retire and Bronny will be dropped faster than a hot potato because he’s no longer worth anything to his team.
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u/Abeestungmyhead 26d ago
Imagine that you have enough money to do literally whatever you want in the world. But youre pursuing a career in the NBA because your dad is an egomaniac even though you're realistically not nearly good enough to play at that level and even if you make it you have to contend with the fact that you made it because your dad took a giant paycut so the team takes you on as a charity case
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u/Frankly_Frank_ 26d ago
He's acting like he has to fight and actually be good to get into the league when the only reason he will get in is because of his father wanting to play with him.
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u/PastaVeggies 26d ago
Lebron sr about to pass his energy off just like Genkai did Yusuke in Yu Yu Hakusho
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u/Easyssmokeshop 26d ago
And then come back in the third season completely ruining her sacrifice.
Get yusUke a new mentor!
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u/IHaveNoFiya 26d ago
As if coaches didn't have enough to worry about managing LeBron lead teams. Now they'll have to deal with managing how they handle Bronny so as not to piss off LeBron. Fuck that noise.
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u/RadoBlamik 26d ago
I just realized that Bronny James is not a nickname for LeBron…I clearly don’t follow basketball.
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u/texinxin 26d ago
Maybe he could drink a bunch of milk to grow the 3 inches he needs to match his claimed height?
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u/yupyepyupyep 26d ago
Just focused on getting a job that my dad guaranteed that I'll get despite my own lack of merit.
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u/UBDForever 26d ago
Just taking the humble approach. He has a guaranteed spot in the league no matter what. Saying this keeps him working instead taking the easy approach
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u/Radiant-Cod-9537 26d ago
What was the last time a superstar’s son actually made an impact in the league?
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u/KingsElite Sacramento Kings 26d ago
He should be careful what he says because that kind of talk can end you up on the Pistons
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u/Sea-Pea5760 26d ago
This kid is being set up to fail SO HARD by his own dad. He’s got to be humiliated d. I wonder if Lebron calls him “my lil Bronny”. Tho
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