Jason Whitlock accuses LeBron of turning Bronny into ‘Make-a-Wish’ boy: “Everybody in the media is going to play along”

Despite an underwhelming freshman year at USC, Bronny James ' entry into the NBA with the LA Lakers has sparked both criticism and support. Speaking on his podcast, Jason Whitlock proved particularly critical, suggesting that LeBron orchestrated his son's opportunity to be in the league. The 57-year-old went as far as to indicate that the four-time MVP has turned his firstborn into a 'Make-a-Wish' boy, implying that Bronny has entered the big stage without warranting the necessary skillset or talent.

"LeBron James has turned his son into the Make-A-Wish kid. And everybody in the media is going to play along. Everybody is going to play along, like, not everybody, because we're not. And some," Whitlock said. "There are a handful of people calling this out, but you've turned your son into the Make-A-Wish kid. "

Whitlock believes Bronny wouldn't even be a solid match to LiAngelo Ball

Whitlock also contrasted Bronny's situation with LiAngelo Ball's, arguing that despite coming from a prominent basketball fall, the latter never played in the NBA due to a perceived lack of talent.

Given young James' lackluster debut in the 2024 Summer League, wherein he scored four points on 2-of-9 shooting, Whitlock sounded confident that the 19-year-old is not ready for the NBA yet. Furthermore, he sarcastically suggested that Bronny would even struggle in a 1-on-1 contest with LiAngelo, highlighting the double standards existing in the NBA realm.

"The third Ball brother that didn't make it to the NBA. I would love for him and Bronny James to play 1-on-1," Whitlock added. "All of my money is on LiAngelo Ball."

LeBron and his camp were accused of misusing their power

It's not only analysts like Whitlock who have been critical of LeBron and his speculated influence in securing a spot for his firstborn. Even former Orlando Magic center Steven Hunter mentioned that The King's actions in ensuring the Lakers picked Bronny with their second-round pick undermine the hard work of other young players striving to make it into the league on their own merits, calling it 'an egregious abuse of power.'

"Typically late second-round picks don't get 4-year guaranteed roster spot deals either, " Hunter said. "This wasn't earned I'm sorry... and it's an egregious abuse of power from LBJ and Rich Paul."

That being said, this is just the beginning of the kind of criticism the 39-year-old forward will face every time his son underperforms on the court. While it's easy to overreact to a single game, it's important to remember that Bronny was picked 55th for a reason. He may not be an offensive powerhouse yet, but his potential lies in his defense, hustle, and occasional scoring, which will only be developed with time and patience.

Related: "The commitment for him to come out of heart surgery less than a year ago, and be in the NBA" - LeBron defends Bronny from the criticism