The NBA Draft ended last Friday. Who is the most talked-about rookie this year? It's a bit ironic, not the champion. What is the champion called? Oh yes, Risa Shei. The most talked-about is Rookie Bronny James, the 55th pick, the eldest son of Lakers star LeBron James. For the first time in NBA history, a father and son are on the same stage.
01
Dad is dad and son is son
May 15, Chicago, USA, 2024 NBA Draft Joint Tryout
A few years ago, James expressed his desire to play in the NBA with his son. Prior to this, there were probably more than 100 cases of fathers in the NBA, but on average, five or six years after the father's retirement, the son entered the league, but there has not been a grand occasion of father and son competing together. This time James is setting a precedent.
This is partly due to James' long standby time. The new season will be his 22nd season in the NBA, and he will share the record for the longest career with Vince Carter. Bronny was born in James' second season, and if James hadn't been gifted and disciplined, the father and son wouldn't have gotten the chance to play together. But on the other hand, to put it sharply, this is also an NBA version of "Where Are You Going, Dad" "parent-child show".
Compared to Dad, Brownie's talent is very different. Lao Zhan is 2.06 meters tall and a small forward with the ball. Bronny is 1.93 meters tall on USC's list, but in fact, he is 1.86 meters tall, with a good bounce and is fourth among the rookies in this year. But there is really no advantage in height, so you have to play at the back. Bronny played college basketball for a year at USC, averaging 19.3 minutes per game last season, or 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists.
That's a lot of the rage, but the Lakers chose Bronny because he's James' son. James' agent, Rich Paul, also warned other teams not to draft Bronny before the Lakers made a move, otherwise he would play in Australia even if he did. I think that's too much to worry about, and if any team really wants to pick Bronny, it's not because they're optimistic about his potential, but because they want to sign James, who could be a free agent. Paul said that Bronny would play abroad, and that was pure bluffing, and I don't know what kind of team would want him, but I'm sure the CBA won't. However, the managers of NBA teams are insiders, and people want to work together as father and son, so why should you harm others and yourself?
James watches a brownie at the University of California, Berkeley, 23/24 NCAA, 77-83 UC Berkeley, USA, Feb. 7, Berkeley, California
Interestingly, after learning that Brownie had been selected, his mother, Savannah, burst into tears. And in New York, James opened a bottle of champagne to celebrate. Actually, as a bystander, it's a bit difficult to understand the feelings of this pair of parents, isn't this just arranged? Tears again, champagne again, is there such a rich and surging emotion? I can only sigh that I pity the parents of the world, and I am always a little worried until the moment the matter is settled.
The Lakers chose Bronny, in addition to fulfilling the dream of Lao Zhan and his son to play together, but also to add some weight to the renewal of James. Lao Zhan can jump out of his contract and become a free agent this week. For both parties, it is important to continue the relationship to ensure that the benefits are maximized. For Lao Zhan, even if he doesn't have his son, he can only ensure that his business interests are maximized by staying in Los Angeles. For the Lakers, compared to the elite teams in the league, they can't win the championship without signing players in their playing years. Then, leaving James, eating and living traffic, and doing a good job in marketing are also a choice for team management.
02
The ticket is here, and the road is at your feet
As for Bronny, he was the most stressful of the show. Everyone knows that he got the opportunity to play in the NBA because of his father's relationship. In fact, as long as there are people, there are relationships, and this is also the case in the NBA. It's just that some things are more hidden. For example, superstars have their favorite teammates, and some change teams and introduce old teammates to a new job. Like James and buddy James Jones. After the two cooperated with the Heat, they continued to lead the way in the Cavaliers. But there are only a few cases where "father and son are on the same stage" are so loud.
On December 10, 2023, in Los Angeles, USA, Brownie made his college debut. James watched from the sidelines
Therefore, Bronny's performance in the new season will be repeatedly checked by fans under a magnifying glass. Expectations are generally pessimistic. Analysts like ESPN think that the number of games in which fathers and sons share the stage is about 5. The moment the two appeared on the stage was when this gimmick was realized, and then the marginal effect gradually diminished, and fans went to pursue new gimmicks.
But on the flip side, it's also an opportunity for Brownie to be able to dip first and then rise. Because of the stats of the Tablet during the NCAA period, no one was optimistic that he would be able to make it out in the NBA, which only lowered people's expectations for him. Now, he's got a stepping stone, and if he can do a good job defensively, shoot threes, and become a qualified role player in the future, it will probably shatter a lot of people's glasses.