Just last year, the Los Angeles Lakers made the rounds for their decision to draft Bronny James, making him and his father, LeBron, the first father-son duo to play together in NBA history.
That’s why Andrew Peters of Bleacher Report believes the same could happen to Bryce, who’s about to make his college basketball debut with the Arizona Wildcats:
“The most obvious landing spot for Bryce is his father and brother’s team, the Los Angeles Lakers,” wrote Peters. “The Lakers took Bronny in the second round a year ago and were seemingly adamant about getting him in that spot. Bronny’s agent, Rich Paul reportedly told teams that if they selected Bronny, he would go play in Australia.”
The Lakers might not want Bryce James
Of course, with the Lakers shifting their attention towards Luka Doncic, perhaps they might not feel as obligated to comply with James and Rich Paul’s draft demands:
Bryce James attends a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on October 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
“It’s hard to say whether Los Angeles would once again be that committed to drafting one of LeBron’s sons, but if Bryce is available when it’s the Lakers’ turn to draft, it seems unlikely they would pass on him,” Peters wrote.
The Lakers and James drew strong criticism for how they handled Bronny’s situation, as he clearly wasn’t ready. Whether the same will happen with Bryce remains to be seen.
