Bronny James feels ‘pressure’ playing with Lebron

Bronny James, the son of NBA all-time main scorer LeBron James, says there may be “an amplified quantity of stress” taking part in alongside his father with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers chosen the youthful James with the fifty fifth choose of the 2024 NBA Draft final week, which signifies that he and the four-time NBA champion might grow to be the primary father-son duo to play within the league on the identical time.

“I’ve already seen it, media and on the web and stuff speaking about [how] I may not deserve a possibility, however I’ve been coping with stuff like this for my complete life, so it’s nothing totally different,” James advised reporters. “It’s extra amplified for positive, however I can get by means of it.”

Throughout his lone season on the College of Southern California, the 19-year-old performed 25 video games and averaged 4.8 factors, 2.8 rebounds and a pair of.1 assists.

He was hospitalized after struggling a cardiac arrest throughout observe at USC final yr, inflicting him to overlook the primary eight video games of the season as he recovered from a process to deal with a congenital coronary heart defect.

Later this month, James will make his Summer season League debut with the Lakers however mentioned he hasn’t spoken an excessive amount of to his father about taking part in collectively within the NBA.

“We haven’t gone too deep into that stuff but as a result of we haven’t even began Summer season League,” mentioned James. “However stuff that he’s been telling me my complete life – simply having that work ethic and coming in and getting your work in and listening to your coaches and being coachable. Stuff like that he’s pushed into my head my complete life.”

New Lakers head coach JJ Redick, in the meantime, harassed that he and basic supervisor Rob Pelinka “didn’t give Bronny something.”

He added: “Bronny has earned this by means of onerous work and, for us prioritizing participant improvement, we view Bronny as case examine one as a result of his base degree of really feel, athleticism, level of assault defender, taking pictures, passing – there’s quite a bit to love about his sport.

“As we construct out our participant improvement program holistically, he’s going to have a terrific alternative to grow to be a wonderful NBA participant.”

LeBron James has beforehand spoken about his want to play alongside Bronny within the NBA, telling The Athletic in 2022 that his ultimate yr within the league shall be alongside his son.

Based on a number of experiences, the 39-year-old has not opted right into a $51.4 million contract with the Lakers for the approaching season however is anticipated to signal a brand new cope with the crew.