The moment basketball fans all anticipated turned into reality when the Los Angeles Lakers drafted Bronny James.
Near the end of Thursday’s round, the Lakers selected the USC guard with the No. 55 pick. Assuming LeBron James doesn’t opt out of his contract and sign elsewhere, he and Bronny will become the first father-son teammates in NBA history.
After the heavily hyped pick, Nike celebrated Bronny’s arrival on social media. The iconic shoe brand, which signed LeBron to a lifetime contract, posted a throwback photo of a young Bronny holding a basketball on the court juxtaposed to a more recent black-and-white portrait of him smiling widely.
“Pressure was never a question,” the copy read over the older picture.
“When passion has always been the answer,” the second photo’s caption says.
Here’s a look at the Nike ad:
The journey continues. Welcome to the big stage, Bronny. pic.twitter.com/XaueRuN78B
— Nike Basketball (@nikebasketball) June 27, 2024
Bronny entered USC as a McDonald’s All-American and heavily touted recruit, but he suffered a cardiac arrest the summer before his freshman season. As a result, he played limited minutes in 25 games for the Trojans.
The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 4.8 points per game with a 36.6 field-goal percentage, so it’s fair to wonder if the Lakers would have selected the same prospect with a different last name. However, Bronny reportedly impressed teams during the NBA Draft Combine.
“Bronny James is every bit the NBA prospect that NBA teams want to see,” ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givony said on Wednesday. “He’s going to get a guaranteed contract next year, which is why he did not work out for every NBA team. I’m excited for Bronny James to show people what we saw from him in high school.”
Despite his powerful family connection, Bronny will still face a steep path to earning a rotational role on the Lakers this season. One thing is for sure: For better and worse, he’ll receive far more attention than the typical late second-round selection.