Bronny James was chosen in the second round of the NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, presenting an opportunity for him to play alongside his legendary father, LeBron James.
The 19-year-old was the 55th pick in the draft held in New York on Thursday, following weeks of speculation about his potential team destination.
LeBron, a four-time NBA champion, is likely approaching the final year of his career. He could become a free agent this summer by opting out of his $51.4 million (£40.6 million) player option when the window opens at the end of June. However, this scenario appears unlikely, as LeBron mentioned after the 2022 All-Star game that his “last year will be played with my son.”
Bronny has just finished his first year of college basketball with the University of Southern California Trojans, where he averaged 4.8 points and 2.1 assists per game.
Standing at 6 feet 1 inch, Bronny contrasts with his father, who is 6 feet 9 inches tall and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Bronny is known more for his defensive skills.
Being the son of a four-time Most Valuable Player brings significant attention. Bronny has 7.7 million Instagram followers, and his journey has been closely followed by pundits for years.
Despite the attention, his path has had challenges. Bronny experienced a cardiac arrest during training last July and was cleared to return to basketball only in November, having been diagnosed with a congenital heart defect.
In his rookie season, Bronny is not expected to play a major role for the Lakers, but the possibility of him sharing the court with his father is likely to draw significant attention.
