Bronny James has become a staple for the NBA media. Being LeBron James’ son definitely helped raise his value as a personality, however, Bronny has been attempting to craft his own identity. After all, it can’t be easy to always be compared to your father. Add the pressure created because of Bron’s wish to play with him, and Bronny is likely under an immense amount of stress to take the right decisions.
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With major decisions brewing in the James family, Bronny’s future at this point in time remains uncertain. There are multiple avenues he could pursue. But ESPN’s mock draft has only made the possible outcomes even more complicated.
With major media houses and analysts frequently discussing these possibilities, there is one analyst who has set himself apart from the others. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who is usually an outspoken analyst, has come out and claimed that he does not like talking about Bronny.
Stephen A. Smith concerned for Bronny James
Smith is a cutthroat analyst who rarely shies away from speaking his mind. And while certain times he definitely pushes boundaries, Smith is one of the better analysts. He has further established his focus on understanding the impact of such severe scrutiny by choosing not to discuss Bronny James.
Stephen A., in a recent episode of First Take, claimed that he always avoids talking about Bron’s son. He quoted the stress of such a major decision and LeBron’s declaration to play alongside his son as his reasons to stay away from the high schooler.
Smith: “I’ve never talked about Bronny James and it’s because of his father. I think that it is unfair to bring that kind of scrutiny on the kid and I’m very very protective of him in that regard. Obviously, his name is going to continue to elevate in the mind’s eye and I think that LeBron James is the cause of that because he’s made it very very clear that his goal is to stay in the NBA until his son arrives.”
ESPN predicts Bronny as the 10th Overall Pick
ESPN recently released their mock draft for the 2024 NBA draft. Surprisingly, it showed Bronny James as the 10th pick. A lot of fans and analysts were surprised by this but ESPN’s logic behind the mock draft is certainly rational.
Bronny James a Top-10 pick in 2024? 👀 @DraftExpress breaks down his big jump and the rest of the draft class on @ESPNPlus ➡️ https://t.co/DQkNUxlawk pic.twitter.com/QG6zEIclAB
— ESPN (@espn) February 22, 2023
Bronny, in the past year, has become an exceptional player. He is one of the best perimeter defenders in his draft class. His explosive athleticism and intelligent style of play at Sierra Canyon have made him a potential tenth pick for ESPN. That being said, this is certainly not the last and final list. There is still an entire year left before Bronny becomes eligible. The list could change drastically and Bronny could fall or rise as a prospect.