When the Los Angeles Lakers selected Bronny James as their 55th pick, many voices cried foul as they believed Bronny got an NBA roster spot just because of his father LeBron James. For the critics, this move snatched away a chance from someone deserving, airing the nepotism debate. However, Stephen A. Smith blasted such criticism while defending LeBron’s decision to pair up with his son.
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On his First Take, the ESPN analyst stated that while white people can bear the fruits of nepotism when it comes to black folks, there is a double standard.
He pointed out that the NBA is rife with nepotism from the managerial to coaching positions but it has never been brought to the limelight in such a manner. While admitting James’ immense influence on the Lakers’ decision to draft his kid, Smith argued,
“Yes, he has manipulated the proceedings somewhat. Bronny James would not be on an NBA roster if not for LeBron James. He would not have gotten drafted in all likelihood if were not for LeBron James, we all know this. We accept it. The issue is the resentment emanating from people out there. How dare you resent LeBron James!”
For the 56-year-old, the criticism about Bronny being a benefactor of nepotism is only loud because he hails from a black family. As per Smith, if people were really serious about combating nepotism, they’d have spoken against it for a long time. Apart from him, Kevin Garnett also found nothing wrong with LeBron James’ decision to play with his son.
Stephen Jackson and KG believe this is a case of black empowerment
As per Stephen Jackson, LBJ’s decision to play with his son marks a paradigm shift. It implies that white people aren’t single-handedly dominating the sports industry as black people are also finding their feet. For him, the LBJ-Bronny James story is a resounding example of black privilege that should be emulated for the betterment of the community. Jackson stated,
“Black privilege. I’m all for it. Shoutout to Bron and Bronny. We’ve seen so much white privilege for so long, it’s good to see some black privilege. I’m all for it… George Karl did it. It’s been done for a long time. But y’all complain about it with Bron getting his hands on it…”
His mate, Kevin Garnett co-signed these thoughts and expressed, “To the James family, congratulations! Bronny, you got this, King! Keep chasing. Keep getting better!”
Such words from prominent sports media voices are bound to buoy the father-son duo. While it is true that Bronny doesn’t look NBA-ready yet, he might have reached a stage where his best talents would sprout under the guidance of his all-time great-dad.
From here on, the scrutiny would only get more rampant as many folks would look back and judge the decision based on Bronny’s development.
