Bryce James is only two years away from being draft-eligible. His performances over that period will determine how high he gets picked. The 17-year-old has a lot of pressure on his shoulders. However, he can always seek guidance from elder brother Bronny, who faced several adversities but still made his way to the Lakers where he’ll play alongside his father LeBron James.
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Bryce has spent his entire life playing with his brother and watching him get drafted this offseason was a dream come true for him and the rest of the family. He spoke about the moment during an interview at the Peach Jam Tournament. He said,
“It’s a great feeling, just knowing that my brother, uh, the journey that he has had, just came that far from the cardiac arrest, to all the difficulties that he has had in his career in college. You know, it’s amazing to see him playing with dad.”
Bronny suffered a cardiac arrest in July 2023 and was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. He had to spend months away before returning to the court in November 2023.
Bryce claimed Bronny’s arduous path to the NBA is a source of inspiration to him and he is ecstatic to see his brother live his dream after almost having it stolen away. In a conversation with Uninterrupted, he said,
“I’ve always looked at him. Of course, he is my big brother. It was definitely a great experience just seeing how far he has come, like the journey that he had to go through… And then also, off the court, just like, being around him, being with him, then just hearing his name get called. It’s just all surreal.”
Surreal may be an understatement. Bryce has been sitting courtside with Bronny for years to cheer for their father. Now, he will have to do it alone as his elder brother will share the court with LeBron. It’s an incredible achievement and its gravity isn’t lost on the four-time NBA champion.
LeBron James claims playing with Bronny is his greatest accomplishment
LeBron has been vocal for years about his desire to share the court with his son Bronny. The two are now on the Lakers together and the veteran forward is elated. During an exclusive with Today, he said,
“It’s probably, when it comes to basketball, it’s the greatest accomplishment I’ve ever had… There’s no greater accomplishment that will be able to overtake me being able to be on the same floor as my son. It’s the greatest thing that’s ever happened.”
As excited as he is to play alongside his son, the four-time MVP clarified that he will hold Bronny to a higher standard than the rest of his teammates. He said,
“We have one common goal on the floor, and that’s to win that game and get better every day… I probably will hold him at a higher standard because I want him to be great… But at the end of the day, it won’t be no shortcuts, that’s for sure.”
Bronny isn’t expected to be a critical part of rookie head coach JJ Redick’s rotation. However, LeBron seemingly has other ideas.
