“I Would Be Unapologetically Rich”: Jalen Rose Once Applauded Bronny James’ Maturity Despite Being LeBron James’ Son

Jalen Rose’s career may not be very well known to the broader global community of NBA fans, but he’s a highly respected player. From his time as a member of the University of Michigan Wolverines’ “Fab Five” (along with Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson) to his highly respected 13-year tenure in the league, he’s mostly remembered for his time as an Indiana Pacer.

Rose is also widely known for the pride he carries for Detroit, Michigan, where he was born and raised. In a resurfaced Courtside Club interview from 2022, he joined ESPN‘s Rachel DeMita for a sit-down in his hometown, where they ended up talking about Bronny James and his maturity.

A former college hooper herself, DeMita proudly reps Ohio, Michigan’s eternal sporting rival, and didn’t hesitate to bring that fact up. She revealed that she was from Akron, the same city LeBron James calls home, and Rose’s eyes lit up instantly. That’s because at the time, there was talk about what college program Bronny would commit to. 

To DeMita, it was blasphemous. “To hear you say Bronny should come to Michigan, I said, hold on a second,” she said. She couldn’t comprehend the fact that someone who called Ohio their home could ever play for Michigan. But Rose continued to make his case.

“Let’s talk about the Ohio end of this a second … the rest of the fam in Cali. Dad just resigned, and you got to go to Ohio and live in that house,” he said, with his famed sly smirk and quick head nod. He was talking about LeBron’s 30,000-square-foot mega-mansion in Akron, built after he arrived in the NBA in 2003. The property features a movie theatre, recording studio, bowling alley, aquarium, sports bar, and a custom barbershop. Valued at around $9.2 million, it’s the crown jewel of the neighborhood, if not the entire state.

“To be honest with you, if I’m him, I’m going to live in that house … and go to any school in Ohio. But if he ain’t going to do that, he’s got to go to Michigan,” Rose opined. DeMita, of course, didn’t agree, but continued to have a light-hearted argument about the same. But there was one thing the two of them agreed upon, and that was Bronny’s humility. 

“The thing that surprises me is his maturity,” Rose said with a thoughtful tone. “I appreciate his maturity because I’ll tell you what … If I was in high school and I had a black card… and my father was LeBron James, I’d be coming to school Rolls Royce everyday. “I would be unapologetically rich.” 

Rose was admittedly right. Despite his dad being one of the best athletes the world has ever seen, Bronny never takes his elite status for granted and has always been determined to carve out a name for himself. He didn’t choose Michigan, like Rose would have wanted, but he didn’t stay in Ohio either. Bronny selected USC, where he played 25 games in the 2023–24 season, averaging 4.8 points per game. His college debut came months after he suffered a cardiac arrest during a preseason workout in July 2023.

In the 2024 Draft, Bronny was selected No. 55 by the Los Angeles Lakers, where he got his lifelong dream of sharing the court with his dad, LeBron.