The Los Angeles Lakers selected LeBron James’ son, Bronny James, in the second round of the NBA draft on Thursday.
This development was expected, with the league legend having repeatedly said he wanted to play in the same jersey as his eldest child.
A 1m88 rear, LeBron James Jr (19), his real name, was selected in 55th position, almost at the end of a Draft which only had 58 choices. Players selected in the second round do not benefit from guaranteed contracts, unlike the first.
Never have a father and son played in the NBA at the same time. However, several observers question Bronny James’ ability to integrate into the NBA, the player lacking size and coming off a relatively anonymous season in college.
A little miracle
With USC (University of Southern California), Bronny James only averaged 4.8 points, with mediocre skill (37%). Only two teams, the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns, invited him for a pre-Draft workout.
His presence on the field was, in itself, a small miracle, because the young man suffered a cardiac arrest last July. Revived, he was operated on for a heart defect, before being authorized to play again, at the end of November, by the medical profession.
“My senior year, I’m going to play with my son,” LeBron James told The Athletic in 2022. “Wherever Bronny is, that’s where I’m going to be. I’m going to do whatever it takes to play with my son. At this point, it’s not about the money anymore.”
A decision to make
The four-time NBA champion forward has, however, softened his stance in recent months. According to several experts, LBJ no longer considered leaving the Lakers if his son had been selected by another franchise.
LeBron James’ current contract has a clause allowing him to end his commitment by Saturday and then be able to sign wherever he wants. He has not yet announced his decision. If he does not play this clause, the last year of his contract with Los Angeles will be automatically activated.
At 39 years old, LeBron James shows almost no signs of slowing down and last season achieved statistics never seen before for a player of his age. He was once again elected to the NBA’s All-NBA Third Team.
/ATS
2024-06-28 05:28:15
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