In just three days, the Los Angeles Lakers will kick off the 2024-25 NBA regular season against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena. Bronny James is expected to make his professional debut, potentially sharing the court with his father, LeBron James, marking the first time in NBA history that a father-son duo will play together. Amid the excitement, Gilbert Arenas has shared an unexpected comparison between Bronny and NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes.
The three-time NBA All-Star discussed LeBron’s son on his podcast, Gil’s Arena, presenting an unconventional viewpoint. “Everybody’s judging the basketball game but nobody’s judging him as an influencer,” Arenas began, offering a fresh angle on how Bronny should be perceived.
“You know, sometimes you’ve gotta look at it a little different. He’s an influencer playing basketball,” Arenas elaborated. He supported his argument by pointing out Bronny’s social media presence: “He has more followers on social media than Patrick Mahomes — he literally has more than a three-time NFL champion.”
Arenas’ claim is valid. Despite not having played a single NBA game, Bronny James boasts 8.1 million followers on Instagram, compared to NFL star Patrick Mahomes’ 6.7 million. “His influence is really, really huge. He’s going to get chanted everywhere, this is not about his performance on basketball,” Arenas continued, emphasizing that Bronny’s impact transcends his on-court play.
Arenas’ defense of Bronny
This isn’t the first time Gilbert Arenas has come to Bronny’s defense. Recently, he addressed the disproportionate attention Bronny has received compared to other rookies, particularly those drafted higher.
“Can anybody tell me what the number one pick scored last night? How about the number two pick? The number three pick?,” Arenas asked. “So nobody knows nothing about the top 15 picks… They’re focused on the 55th pick in the NBA draft and everybody else the top five picks get to go through the league like nothing… Thank god we got Bronny in our draft.”
Bronny’s preseason performance
Bronny James appeared in all six of the Lakers‘ preseason games, averaging 16.2 minutes, 4.2 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per game. His performances steadily improved, culminating in his standout game against the Golden State Warriors, where he scored 17 points in 35 minutes on the court.