Bronny James is entering unchartered territory. He’ll become the first NBA player to share the court with his father and the pressure on him will be immense. He also isn’t coming into the league with much experience as his sole season in college was disrupted by the cardiac arrest he suffered in July 2023. Despite the challenges, not many are empathizing with Bronny, but Shaquille O’Neal is firmly in his corner.
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During an appearance on Udonis Haslem’s The OGs Podcast, the Hall of Famer threw his support behind the young guard and claimed he’d support him like an uncle would. He added that he’s familiar with the challenges that come with a heart condition and has faith that Bronny will overcome it. He said,
“Lil Bronny is my nephew. I’m happy for him. I wish him well. I know his work ethic… I kinda know what he’s going through because my son Shareef had a heart attack situation. They have a lot of pressure because of the last name,
Bronny inexplicably suffered cardiac arrest during his freshman season at USC. The health scare resulted in the guard being sidelined for five months until he was able to make his collegiate debut.
However, he wasn’t able to solidify his footing. He averaged just 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 36 percent shooting from the field.
The ‘Big Diesel’ can empathize with Bronny’s situation specifically since Shareef experienced the same struggles due to health complications.
Shareef witnessed his playing time fluctuate once recovered from open heart surgery. He didn’t play more than 15 games in any season during his college career. Even today, the 6-foot-10 forward is attempting to establish an identity on the court.
Not the First Time Shaq Supported Bronny
This isn’t the first occasion, where Shaq has vocalized his support for Bronny. Leading into the 2024 NBA Draft, there was discourse surrounding Bronny’s legitimacy as an NBA player.
Shaq spoke with TMZ to bring a halt to any discussions surrounding nepotism. He said,
“Keep playing hard, Bronny. Uncle Shaq loves you. And if there is anybody who is qualified to speak on Bronny, Shaq may be the perfect person.”
Discussions surrounding Bronny reached a high once the Lakers selected him with the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Narratives were being thrown around that Bronny is only receiving a path to the NBA because his father is LeBron. The Lakers superstar and father himself, James, spoke on the applaudable mindset his son has. He said,
““I don’t know if people really understand Bronny… He doesn’t give a f—… He’s like the complete opposite of his dad. His dad will say something [to address the critics]. Bro does not care.”
Bronny isn’t expected to average 20 points a game out of the gates. The expectations are purely based on the name on the back of his jersey. However, the encouragement from the likes of Shaq and his father, shows that he has a great support system to fall back on.
