Lakers’ Bronny James on pressure of playing alongside superstar father: ‘I can get through it’

There’s no doubt all eyes are going to be on Bronny James this upcoming NBA season. And that’s particularly because of his Los Angeles Lakers teammate and superstar father LeBron James. 

After the Los Angeles Lakers – one of the most successful NBA franchises in history – drafted the 19-year-old with the 55th overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft, Bronny quickly came under scrutiny, with questions being asked about his ability and his father’s supposed role in him being ultimately selected by the team.

But during an introductory press conference at the Lakers practice facility on Tuesday, Bronny emphasized that he’s focused on improving his game. He also said that the thought of playing alongside his father – who is the league’s all-time scorer, a four-time champion, and a future Hall of Famer – never really crossed his mind.

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“I just want to come in and get my work in and get better every day. I never really had a thought of me going to play with my dad,” Bronny said, per NBC Sports. “That’s always there to take part of, but it wasn’t a main focus of mine.”

New Lakers coach J.J. Redick also explained Bronny was drafted because of his potential. “Rob and I did not give Bronny anything,” Redick emphasized. “Bronny has earned this through hard work.

“For [the Lakers], prioritizing player development, we view Bronny as Case Study One, because his base level of feel, athleticism, point-of-attack defender, shooting, passing, there’s a lot to like about his game. As we build out our player development program holistically, he’s going to have the opportunity to be an excellent NBA player.”

Bronny during the press conference also touched on how he’s going to deal with the inevitable pressure. “It’s for sure amplified the amount of pressure,” he said.

“I’ve already seen it on social media and on the internet talking about I might not deserve an opportunity. But I’ve been dealing with stuff like this for my whole life. It’s nothing different. It’s more amplified for sure, but I can get through it.”