Los Angeles Lakers' Bronny James shares what it's like to play with LeBron, his dad

Bronny James, the son of future NBA Hall of Fame LeBron James, was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers and is about to embark on his first season with the organization.

There's no telling how much he'll be with the big club versus down with the G-League team, but at Monday's team media day, Bronny gave some insight into what it's like to have a famous dad, plenty of doubters and what he hopes to accomplish in season one aside from "being a sponge" and learning from the players around him.

In a lighter moment he was asked if he and his dad carpool to work.

"Definitely not," he said with a wry smile. "There's already so much that we've been grouped together as. I like to stay as away as possible from that guy."

Asked if his dad gave him any advice about navigating media day, Bronny said this: "He said just be myself. Pretty sure he knows I'm a smart guy and I'm not going to come out here saying some stuff that I shouldn't be saying, so just come out here and be myself."

With that as the backdrop, here are the five most interesting things Bronny James said during Lakers' media day on Monday at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo.

Los Angeles Lakers media day: LeBron James' 5 most interesting takes entering 22nd NBA season

On being his own man in this unusual situation

"I just try to continue to try to be myself every day. Doing the things I love. Like I have been since being a kid and just trying to keep that routine up of being myself. But also taking the time to tune out all the noise and tune out all the people that don't think I should be here while also getting in the gym and putting in my work."

LeBron said he didn't want you to call him dad on the court, what are you going to call him?

"I haven't given it any thought. Whatever comes out of my mouth when I'm trying to speak to him is what he's gotta accept. (Laughing) I don't know what to say about that. But I haven't addressed him in any way yet on the court so we'll see."

Most excited about on being on this journey with his dad

"I'm most looking forward to practice. Going head-to-head with each other. That's such a crazy feeling to be in practice with your dad. Competing at a high level. But on the other side of that, having to go against LeBron James is kind of a lot in practice every day."

How he'd describe himself as a basketball player

"I'm just a smart player. Not going to go out there lost, looking like I don't know what I'm doing. Being a hard-nosed defender. Playing my role offensively, but I don't definitely know what my role is going to be this year exactly, but I'm waiting to get into practice and feel it out."

Is this sort of a surreal "pinch-me" type of day?

"Yeah, for sure. All the cameras and stuff that are going around. It feels good. But the work is yet to come. I'm just looking forward to coming in and working with my guys and competing every day. Because that's really all I've wanted to do since I started taking basketball seriously. ... (Adding later) It's a crazy feeling. I was doing radio over there. Looking over at my dad taking pictures. And it was like 'What's going on right now?' were my thoughts. Just trying to take it all in. Extremely grateful for the opportunity."

Shad Powers is a columnist for The Desert Sun. Reach him at shad.powers@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Los Angeles Lakers' Bronny James shares what it's like to play with LeBron, his dad