On LeBron, Bronny and the Narrowness of our Nepotism Debate

As any basketball fan likely knows already, Bronny James, the son of superstar LeBron James, was drafted by the Lakers with the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA draft. He competed in the NBA’s Summer League, averaging close to 9 points with 3.5 rebounds and 1 assist.

The general consensus toward Bronny’s drafting was overwhelmingly positive, and many people around the league (fans, current and former players, sports reporters and commentators) were quick to head-off the potential criticism that this was an instance of unfair nepotism.

NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski said he “doesn’t want to hear it,” since the league is fully of nepotism from the front office, coaching and beyond. In a sit down interview with ESPN, LeBron spoke towards his son’s work ethic and how Bronny truly doesn’t care about any of the negative comments that come his way off the court.

I’m part of the louder chorus of basketball fans who think a father and son becoming teammates is one of the most compelling stories in sports history. Without taking anything away from Bronny’s personal accomplishment (he worked hard to come back from the heart issue that hindered part of his freshman year at USC), this speaks most to Lebron’s longevity as an NBA superstar and is another point in his case for G.O.A.T. status. We’ve never seen a…