LeBron James’ son Bronny is a highly touted prospect for the NBA. He is expected to be drafted in 2024, with ESPN Mock Draft predicting him to be a first-round pick. LeBron has always stated that he dreams of someday playing with his son. As he etches closer to realizing this dream, analysts and experts such as Brian Windhorst and Nick Wright have started viewing this much more critically. Nick Wright, who works alongside Skip Bayless at FS1, believes that LeBron instead aspires more to play with his son than win a championship. In FS1’s First Things First, Wright elaborates further on why LeBron James has possibly stopped chasing rings.
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Nick Wright was earlier known to be a vehement critic of Michael Jordan. Although Wright has previously claimed LeBron to be the greatest player, this is one of the rarest moments where he appears to criticize him. It seems like LeBron’s attention toward Bronny’s professional career is drawing many eyes from the media in the league.
Nick Wright accuses LeBron James of dreaming of playing with Bronny than chasing rings
LeBron James to date has won four championship titles- two with Miami Heat and one each at Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers. The number of titles won by every NBA player solidifies their position in the GOAT debate. Michael Jordan has six titles compared to LeBron’s four, which gives him a notable edge in this debate. However, many analysts believe LeBron has stopped chasing for rings to play with his son Bronny. Brian Windhorst has outrightly said, “LeBron James cares more about playing with Bronny than he would about getting another ring.” Speaking on the same, Nick Wright commented:
“I agree with that, and they [the James family] might all want, we don’t know. But LeBron, we are talking about the year, after next, at the earliest. At that point, LeBron James will have played more professional basketball than anyone in the history of the world. If he then wants to have a bit of a free role in what he does with his 22nd season at age 40, or his 23rd season at age 41, you know, I think it’s okay. And, I think that there would be something more special about this accomplishment and this moment than, if he were at 41, the third best player on a champion for ring number five.”
Fellow FS1 analyst Chris Broussard also seems to agree with Nick Wright. Adding further to the discussion, Broussard said:
“Yeah, look. Great moments with your son will always outweigh a career achievement, especially when you have achieved so much! It’s not like, I mean he’s got rings, he’s got MVPs, so on and so forth. But I also think a huge part of it is to, kind of what Nick said, he’ll be 40 years old, turn 40 that season. I’m sure part of LeBron’s thinking, even when he began thinking about ‘I’d love to play with Bronnie on the same team’ was that, ‘I’m not gonna be about winning championships, I’ll be 40 years old.'”
LeBron, perhaps, dreams of winning a championship title alongside his son in whichever team he plays next. Perhaps, LeBron’s aspirations for a fifth ring might not be bleak at all. He has achieved enough in his career to draw the limit. His only aspiration as a player and a doting father is to share the same stage as his son Bronny.
King James has big plans for his career after Bronny joins the NBA
LeBron’s current contract with the Lakers runs out in 2025, with 2024 having a $51 million player option. He has kept this to accommodate himself with Bronny’s arrival in the league next year. Perhaps, both Nick Wright and Chris Broussard are justified in believing that LeBron’s current goal is to play with his son Bronny. Perhaps, the chase for a ring still lingers, but this time, with Bronny on his side.
Bronny James will be ready for the draft next season, projected to be a 17th overall pick for Atlanta Hawks. When LeBron learned of this news, he immediately hinted at a possible move to Atlanta if his son were to be drafted there.
