Rookie vs Legend: What Will This Season Look Like for Bronny and LeBron James?
Nobody has ever said that following your father’s footsteps is easy. Now imagine having to do so when your father is one of the greatest basketball players in history, or the greatest, depending on who you ask.
That’s the story of Bronny James, rookie shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, and LeBron James, the best basketball player in recent history, a favorite for online betting fans, and Michael Jordan’s biggest rival for the title of the NBA’s “GOAT”.
As Bronny prepares to enter his first year in the league, while his dad, LeBron, enters his 22nd year, the panorama couldn’t be bleaker for both James ballers.
So, what will the 2024-25 NBA season look like for Bronny and LeBron?
Year 1 vs. Year 22: A Tale of Two James’
Year 1: Don’t Expect Daddy to Save You
Alright, show of hands here. How many of you have been keeping up with all the Bronny James news ever since he joined the NBA? And how many of you believe LeBron’s kid will have a significant role in the Lakers?
While I know I can’t see hands being raised, I’ll just go ahead and assume there were none, not even Savannah James’.
In a way, I feel sorry for Bronny, having to enter a league where his dad is deemed the King. But then again, nobody told him to become a basketball player, so to each his own.
Bronny James’ Los Angeles Lakers tenure won’t be the fairytale NBA betting fans would love to see. Let’s call a spade a spade here. Bronny is way too raw to earn a roster spot in LA. He needs to improve in defense, shooting, and playmaking, which is stuff you do when you play in college, instead of bouncing after one season or a part of one season.
Bronny James’ USC stats don’t turn heads. At least not in a positive way, and it will end up pushing him away from this season’s Lakers roster unless he gets a chance here or there to join his old man in non-important games, mainly to create memorable moments.
Besides that, until Bronny can substantially develop his talents, not even LeBron can save him from irrelevance.
Nepotism Won’t Save You in the Pros, Talent Will
Let’s play a little game of comparison here. We have two rookies, Dalton Knecht and Bronny. While one is already being pitted out as a potential immediate impact player, expected to play an average of 22 minutes per game, and likely to be a regular part of the rotation, the other looks ready for a stay in the G League before reaching the pros.
Do you want to take a wild guess as to which is which?
Looking at Bronny James’ Summer League Stats: 8.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and one assist in four games, and Knecht’s stats: 21.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.7 steals, it’s apparent that the latter is ready to bring his former Tennessee Volunteers “A” game to the Lakers.
Name-dropping doesn’t mean anything in a team like the Lakers; talent does. Wilt Chamberlain’s father had nothing to do with the Lakers, and neither did Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s, James Worthy’s, Kobe’s, or Shaquille O’Neal’s. They became team legends based purely on talent.
It doesn’t matter that you’re LeBron’s firstborn; at the end of the day, talent is the only thing that will make online betting fans believe in you.
If I were Bronny, I would listen to the advice from another Lakers legend, Magic Johnson, who believes the rookie should spend his first season in the G League before making a run at the pros. It’s not only in Bronny’s best interest but also in the team’s.
Magic Johnson gave Bronny & LeBron James advice heading into his rookie year:
“If I’m Bronny, I would tell my dad, ‘Just let me play in the G League all season so that I can develop,’” Johnson said. “He needs playing time. He doesn’t need to be sitting on the Laker bench and… pic.twitter.com/OaDNvBZ6Af
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) September 28, 2024
Year 22: Long Live the King, Until Further Notice at Least
It doesn’t matter when you read this or how old LeBron James is; as long as King James is around, he’ll always be a cornerstone player for the Lakers and the NBA.
Expected to maintain his role as LA’s No.1 star, NBA betting experts expect James to play an average of 35 minutes, score around 25 points, have seven or eight rebounds, and provide the same number of assists per game.
But why stop there? Let’s talk about some more LeBron James career stats and milestones that could be obtained this season:
- In his 22nd season, James will be the first player to play in the NBA as both a teenager and a 40-year-old.
- If ‘Bron manages to play for 850+ minutes this season, he will pass Abdul-Jabbar for most regular-season minutes played in history.
- Scoring 30+ points in nine games will make him pass MJ for most 30-point games in history.
- 1,364 points separate James from reaching 50,000 regular-season and playoff points scored, a number he should eclipse easily this season.
Already expressing a desire to continue playing for at least two more seasons, likely looking to finish his career with the Lakers, year 22 is gearing up to be another thriller for the King.
Are These Lakers Ready for One More Ride for Gold With LeBron?
Don’t take it the wrong way, LA fans, but the Lakers’ odds to win the 2024-25 NBA title, which currently stand at +3300, place LeBron and Bronny’s squad as a longshot rather than a contender.
Between this being JJ Redick’s first year as head coach for the team, the need for the Lakers to find somebody who can truly be the team’s third star behind James and Anthony Davis, and the level of competition in the Western Conference, relative optimism might be the best route to take here.
Looking at what’s in store for the Lakers, it’s easy to understand why General Manager Rob Pelinka would much rather wait to see how the season begins than start chilling the celebratory champagne.
Stating: “We believe in this group, and the 15 guys that play the games are gonna control the wins and losses with their effort, with how hard we play, with the pride we play with, with how organized and detail-oriented we are. I can tell you we can’t guarantee wins or losses, but we can guarantee that that’s going on with these guys.“ it’s a surefire statement that precaution is the way to go here.
Rob Pelinka when it comes to using the “wait and see” trade gimmick with Laker fans pic.twitter.com/Fto5sGGJ5H https://t.co/EyBuZec2bQ
— RM (@ReviveMarc) September 25, 2024
At the end of the day, though, with the Lakers not making any real power moves this offseason and Reddick trusting D’Angelo Russell can become the team’s much-needed third star, gold might not be in LeBron and Bronny’s first season together.
Questions Of The Day
What Pick Was Bronny James In The NBA Draft?
The Los Angeles Lakers took Bronny James with the 55th pick of the 2024 NBA Draft.