Nobody took Bronny James hostage.
Or perhaps nobody was allowed to.
Despite some chatter heading into the NBA Draft that a team other than the L.A. Lakers would draft LeBron’s son and hold him hostage for assets, things went more or less according to plan.
The Lakers did indeed draft Bronny with the No. 55 pick in the second round Thursday. ESPN’s Bob Myers, the former Golden State Warriors GM, said on air that he was hearing that agent Rich Paul told other teams to stay away from Bronny.
The 19-year-old guard previously said his goal wasn’t playing with his famous father, but in the end they will share a locker room at Crypto.com Arena.
“My dream has always just been to put my name out, make a name for myself, and, of course, get to the NBA,” Bronny said at the NBA Combine in May. “I’ve never thought about playing with my dad, but of course he’s brought it up a couple of times.”
His first Summer League game will be July 12 against Houston on ESPN.
No father and son have ever played together in the NBA, although Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. did it in baseball.
James measured in at 6′1.5′' at the Combine without shoes after being listed at 6-4 at USC and elsewhere.
Want to bet on the NBA?
See the best NJ Sports Betting sites
He averaged 4.8 points and 2.8 rebounds in 25 games this past season after debuting in December, and probably could have benefited from at least another year in college. But his father made it clear in recent years he wanted to play in the NBA either with or against his son before he retires.
LeBron, who turns 40 in December, has a $51 million player option for next season, and is expected to remain with the Lakers.
Bronny had a procedure to repair a congenital heart defect after a cardiac arrest last July, and then missed five months before playing his first game in college.
“He’s not the same type of player [as his father],” ESPN’s Jay Bilas said on air. “He’s going to spend time in the G League and develop and I think he can develop into a good role player in the NBA.”
“But the defensive piece, the fact that he can guard, the fact that he’s athletic, and he understands how to play.
“And he’s a terrific young man so whatever team he goes to he’s going to work hard and he’s doing to do what it takes.
Other NBA Insiders had alternate teaks.
“When you’re 19 years old, there are lots of tracks to the NBA,” Adrian Wojnarowski said in May. “They’re not overnight. It doesn’t mean he’s in an NBA rotation next year. The G League is going to be very much a part of his growth wherever that might be next year.”
ESPN’s Bobby Marks added: “The reality is he’s going to be an end-of-the-bench guy that is going to be a developmental project.”
Bronny projects to have more of an impact as a defender and role player, potentially as a reserve point guard given his size.
“I think he’s shown he can be an elite defender,” Woj said. “He’s a ball-mover. Certainly he’s going to have to shoot it better.
“I do think his ability to defend his position, I thought was high-level and I think that’s what people thought his calling card was going to be at the next level.”
Marks also told an anecdote about how he asked Bronny if he ever puts his name into social media to see what people were saying about him.
“Because it fuels me,” Bronny said. “It fuels me because people have counted me out. They don’t think I’m an NBA prospect, and it only makes me better.”
Now he is an NBA player, and all eyes will be on him.
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.