LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers used a second-round pick in this year's draft to acquire his son, Bronny James, but LeBron says their connection shouldn't be discussed on the court.
LeBron said Bronny can't call him “Dad” while he's working for the Lakers.
“I've made that decision. He can't call me dad at work,” James said during an appearance on “The Shop” on Tuesday. “Once we leave the practice facility and the gates close, we're in the car together and I get to be a dad again.”
Appropriate words that Bronny can use to call his father include “Two-Three,” “Bron,” and “Goat.”
“You can't be running down the court and your dad's like, 'Dad, push the ball up!' or 'Dad, I'm open!' You can't do that,” James said.
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Bronny James Jr. of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half of the 2024 NBA Summer League at Thomas & Mack Center on July 18, 2024 in Las Vegas. (Candice Ward/Getty Images)
The Lakers' selection of Bronny with the 55th overall pick in June was one of the most controversial moments of this year's NBA Draft.
Bronny was selected because he played just one collegiate season at USC, starting just six games. As a bench player, he averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 turnovers per game, well below the averages for a typical NBA prospect, even as a second-round pick.
Former NBA player Enes Kanter-Freedom said the only reason he was drafted at age 19 was because of his father.
NBA trainer gives positive outlook for Bronny James' NBA career
Bronny James Jr. of the Los Angeles Lakers plays during the first half of a game against the Sacramento Kings during the 2024 California Classic Summer League at Chase Center on July 6, 2024 in San Francisco. (Tearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
“He might be a good guy, but he's not good enough to play in the NBA. He got drafted because of LeBron. JJ Redick is a coach because of LeBron,” he said on Outkick's “Don't @ Me” in July.
Bronny said he understands the criticism, but he also believes his grades and record at USC don't accurately reflect who he is as a player.
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shakes hands with his son, Bronny James, during the second half of a game against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on Nov. 19, 2023 in Los Angeles. (Mio Kiyoshi/USA Today Sports)
“The pressure has definitely increased. I've already seen talk on social media and the internet that maybe I don't deserve a chance. But I've dealt with these issues my whole life. It's nothing different. The pressure has definitely increased, but I can get through it,” he told reporters in early July.
“I feel like I've been given a chance to really show what I'm capable of because I wasn't given that many opportunities at USC.”
The teenager's collegiate career got off to a scary start when he suffered cardiac arrest during a workout on campus shortly after participating in the McDonald's All-American Game in July 2023. He was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect, which delayed his debut at USC.
But whatever impact it may have had on his brief college career, Bronny is now a Laker, and LeBron is going to do his best to keep their relationship as professional as possible in the workplace, regardless of his son's professional acumen.
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