Being the child of an athlete and trying to follow in that athlete’s footsteps in their professional sport is never easy.
It’s virtually impossible if you’re the son of someone like LeBron James. Trying to live up to the legacy of arguably the best player of all time – we can debate Michael Jordan later – is something many have tried and few have attained.
Unfortunately, that puts Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James in a tough spot. The No. 55 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Bronny is off to a rough start to the preseason.
During a win over the Milwaukee Bucks on last Thursday night, Bronny struggled to find the range. He went 0-for-4 from the field while failing to record a single block, rebound, steal or assist. James has managed to score just two points in the team’s three preseason games so far.
Fans didn’t have the loftiest expectations for Bronny coming into the league, but being the son of an NBA legend brings expectations of its own. On Tuesday afternoon odds emerged for Bronny to win rookie of the year and it’s not great.
Betting analyst David Payne Purdum revealed Bronny is 1,000-1 to win Rookie of the Year.
Bronny James to win Rookie of Year — 1,000/1 @SuperBookNV.
“And that’s a little light.”
— David Payne Purdum (@DavidPurdum) October 15, 2024
While he hasn’t impressed the fans – or the sports books – Lakers coach JJ Redick likes what he’s seen from Bronny.
“On the offensive end, he’s still figuring out who he is. That’s our job as a player development program just to build him in,” Redick said. “But truthfully, he’s so easy to coach. He’s got a great soul and just a great energy about him. I like being around him. I’m rooting for him. He’s a good player that we’re happy to have in our program.”
Can Bronny James shock the sports books and win Rookie of the Year?
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