LeBron James sends clear message about Bronny James

Having been in the public spotlight for nearly a quarter-century now, LeBron James is no stranger to criticism.

But while the four-time NBA MVP admits that he still cares what his critics say, he insists the same can’t be said about his 19-year-old son.

In case you somehow haven’t heard (or haven’t visited ESPN.com’s home page in recent days ), the Los Angeles Lakers selected James’ son, Bronny James, with the No. 55 pick of the 2024 NBA Draft last month. And while the Lakers’ selection of the the former USC guard has set the stage for the James’ to become the first father-son duo in NBA history, the move has also been met with plenty of backlash , including allegations of nepotism .

Speaking to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin as he prepares to represent the United States in the 2024 Summer Olympics, the older James addressed the response to the Lakers’ selection of his son. And in doing so, the four-time NBA champion made it clear that, unlike himself, his oldest son simply doesn’t care about it.

“I don’t know if people really understand Bronny,” the 39-year-old James said. “He doesn’t care. I actually cared a little bit. When I came in [as a rookie], I wanted people to like me, and some of the things that people were saying about me kind of bothered me early on in my career… He doesn’t give a f—.

“He does not care about nobody. He doesn’t even listen to that stuff. He’s like the coolest. He’s like the complete opposite of his dad. His dad will say something [to address the critics]. Bronny does not care… Everything that’s being said about him, he really does not care.”

It obviously behooves James to push such a narrative, but everything we’ve seen to this point seemingly backs up what he said. While the older James is often quick to take to social media or make comments in press conferences to respond to critics, his son has remained so quiet publicly that his press conferences at the NBA Draft Combine and after being drafted by the Lakers marked his first extended comments since becoming a draft prospect.

It’s also interesting to see the older James admit that he still cares what people say , even at this point in his career. While Bronny’s presence on the Lakers’ roster will undoubtedly continue to be polarizing, the idea of his father being more consumed with it than he is makes for a fun wrinkle to one of the biggest stories in sports.

[ ESPN ]

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