NBA Analyst Claims LeBron James Didn’t Push Lakers to Draft His Son Bronny

Joseph Galizia | 28/01/2026
Oct 24, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (left) and son Bronny James watch from the bench in the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena

The LA Lakers drafting Bronny James in 2024 instantly became one of the most talked-about moves in the NBA, not because of how good a player he was, but because he is LeBron James’ son and was selected by the team his father was representing. Naturally, it became widely believed that the pick was made because LeBron wanted it that way.

Bronny’s path since then has been rather grounded. He has flashed in a few standout moments that hint at real NBA-level potential, but most of his development has taken place in the G League, where the Lakers appear comfortable letting him learn and grow.

That reality has quieted some of the noise, even if the debate over why he was drafted has not fully gone away. In fact, the latest round of discussion took place on The Mason and Ireland Show, where reporter Ramona Shelburne revisited the topic and revealed that, in her view, Bronny was drafted by Los Angeles without any influence from LeBron.

“I don’t think LeBron asked the Lakers to draft Bronny,” Shelburne stated, which got her immediately chewed out by the other members of the show. They insisted that it would be “impossible” for Bronny to have gotten into the NBA without a little nepotism, and they’re probably not wrong. But to suggest that Bronny had no interest from other teams is not true.

Ramona then guessed that Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka drafted Bronny “because they thought LeBron would like that.” She then revealed the other franchises that had their eyes on the son of Bron.

“The Golden State Warriors considered him. The Dallas Mavericks, old Nico Harrison over there, and the Phoenix Suns. All three of those teams had interest in Bronny. Would they have actually taken him? I don’t know,” she admitted.

Sometimes it’s not about getting a franchise player, but a player who might help a struggling organization put some butts in seats. Bronny definitely could have been that for a team that wasn’t really reaching for the stars.

At some point, the conversation has to shift from how Bronny got here to what he actually becomes. The Lakers are not treating him like a shortcut or a sideshow, and that matters more than any draft-night conspiracy. Development takes time, especially for a player who missed crucial college reps and is learning the pro game under a spotlight most rookies never face.

If Bronny eventually sticks, it will not be because of his last name, but because he earned it the slow, unglamorous way. That is usually how some very real NBA careers are built.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Bronny James LeBron James Los Angeles Lakers

About the author

Joseph Galizia

Joseph is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he's had the pleasure of covering sports for multiple outlets, including the Lifestyles section of Sports Illustrated. In that time, he's conducted over 50 interviews with athletes, filmmakers, and company founders to further cement his footprint in the journalism world. He's excited to bring that skillset to the SportsRush, where he'll be covering the NBA news cycle.

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