Bronny James selected by LA Lakers in 2nd round of NBA Draft
NEW YORK - History was made Thursday during the 2024 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center in New York City.
As predicted, the Los Angeles Lakers selected Bronny James, LeBron James’ oldest son, at No. 55 in the second round. Now, they have become the first father-son duo in league history.
At 19 years old, Bronny has become accustomed to the pressure of being the son of an NBA legend who happens to be the league’s all-time leading scorer. While it’s not uncommon for the children of professional athletes to follow in their parent’s footsteps, Bronny, who has been hit with the "nepo baby" label, faces perhaps his biggest challenge to date and will have to prove his readiness.
During his single season at the University of Southern California, he averaged 5 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists per game.
During the combine in Chicago, Bronny James only worked out for the Lakers and Phoenix Suns, a move his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, said was "by design."
Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans shoots a foul shot against the Stanford Cardinal during the second half of an NCAA basketball game at Stanford Maples Pavilion on February 10, 2024 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Imag
"The goal is to find a team that values your guy and try to push him to get there. It's important to understand the context and realize that this has always been the strategy with many of my clients throughout the years, especially those in need of development like Bronny. My stuff is by design," he told ESPN.
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Bronny had a health scare last summer when he suffered cardiac arrest during practice at USC's Galen Center. Health officials later determined it was linked to a congenital heart defect. He was also cleared to play in the NBA by a panel of doctors last month.
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Bronny James and LeBron James. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)
LeBron James was famous long before he joined the league and garnered plenty of media attention before his 18th birthday. In 2003, fresh out of high school, he was selected as the overall No. 1 pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers. At that point, the Saint Vincent-Saint Mary graduate further cemented himself as a hometown hero.
Other players in the 2003 draft class include Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. While everyone else in the class has since retired, LeBron James is set to begin his 22nd season this fall.
Years later, the NBA made a drastic change.
In 2005, late NBA commissioner David Stern fought for new rules during labor negotiations and won. The new agreement, commonly known as the "one-and-done rule" had a massive impact and required draft prospects to be at least one year removed from high school and at least 19.
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For those who have no desire to play college ball, there are some other options, such as signing a contract with the NBA's G League.
Another big story to watch will be to see what "King James" decides to do about his own situation. The Lakers are reportedly prepared to offer him a massive contract for another three seasons.
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This story was reported from Los Angeles.