The Los Angeles Lakers drafting Bronny James as the 55th pick in the NBA draft raised eyebrows everywhere. The teenager receiving privilege because of the legacy of his father, LeBron James, didn’t sit right with several fans. Amidst the controversy, Gilbert Arenas recently defended the pride of the father-son duo, outlining how the move could benefit both.
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The 3x All-Star justified the selection and cited how other parents would have done the same for their children. During the latest Gil’s Arena episode, the host also pointed out how this dynamic could enhance Bronny’s gameplay in the coming years. The 42-year-old mentioned,
“If you’re a father and you have a problem with this, then something is wrong with your fatherhood… I think it’s a great thing for both…Him learning the NBA, learning how to be a professional for one of the most professional players that ever lived…He gets to really watch and then learn how to be a real pro”.
These words undoubtedly portrayed a near-accurate picture of the recent happenings. For instance, King James was willing to stretch his boundaries to fulfill his lifelong dream of sharing an NBA court with his eldest son. This put the Lakers under no choice but to draft for Bronny to retain its biggest superstar.
On one hand, this move cemented James’ future in the City of Angels, paving the way for his recent two-year extension. On the other, this provided Bronny with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to observe and learn from one of the greats of the game. If the youngster succeeds in emulating his father’s skill sets, this could in turn benefit the franchise immensely in the long run.
So, Arenas had significant reasons to defend the actions of James and Co. before doubling down on this shortly after.
How Bronny James landed in the Los Angeles Lakers
During the second round of the draft, ESPN’s Bob Myers published a report revealing the intricate details of this pick. The 49-year-old discussed how James’ agent and long-time friend, Rich Paul, advised the NBA franchises against selecting Bronny on the draft night. This built the premise for his eventual move to LA while adding volume to his talent. Using this report as a reference, Arenas later mentioned,
“Then that takes away everybody else’s [opinions], who are mad about Bronny going 55. They should shut the f**k up now. Because if other teams are interested in drafting him and I gotta call and say don’t then that means he could have gotten drafted earlier”.
This highlighted how Bronny could have entered the league as a potentially higher pick in the draft. However, behind the scenes, within the NBA sealed his fate as the 55th pick. This is bound to excite the Lakers fans about the potential of the 19-year-old, with the latter now having to fight an uphill battle.
