Shaquille O’Neal is witnessing the unprecedented levels of attention around Bronny James ahead of his first season in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers, where the 19-year-old will play with none other than his father, LeBron James.
Shaq has already warned about Bronny’s potential, but the former NBA star once again talked about the young guard in the wake of the early critics that emerged during the Summer League.
“Bronny is my nephew and I’m happy for him and he just needs to continue to work hard and work on his game…Forget all the noise,” Shaq said on ESPN, as quoted by ClutchPoints.
Bronny may have failed to impress in his first games with the Lakers but bounced back with a strong performance on Wednesday night against the Atlanta Hawks, logging 12 points that included his first pair of three-pointers on the purple and gold. His name means there’s more attention on him than in most of the rookies in the league, which is why Shaq had some important advice for LeBron’s eldest son.
Bronny James Jr. #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a teammate scored and was fouled on the shot against the Miami Heat during the second half of the 2024 California Classic at Chase Center on July 10, 2024 in San Francisco, California.
“Pressure is where you don’t know where your next meal is coming from. Forget what people say, you love to play the game…I’ll treat this situation like Bronny was my son. You go out there, you have fun, you do what it takes to get better. Nothing else matters,” Shaq said.
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Bronny James feels ready to cope with pressure in the NBA
Even though his name is making more headlines than ever before, Bronny already knows what is like to draw the media attention from his time in college. Even if the NBA is a bigger deal, LeBron’s son looks ready for it.
“It’s for sure amplified the amount of pressure,” Bronny said. “I’ve already seen it in [social] media and on the internet and stuff talking about [how] 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.”
Bronny says playing with LeBron wasn’t his primary goal
While the Lakers selecting Bronny with the 55th pick and then giving him a four-year deal was seen as an act of nepotism due to his father’s influence, the young guard claims playing with LeBron wasn’t his primary objective.
“I’m … trying to get my name out for myself,” Bronny said. “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. That’s always there to take part of, but it wasn’t a main focus of mine.”
