As anticipated, the subject of nepotism got here up through the broadcast of the 2024 NBA Draft because the inevitable choice of Bronny James by the Los Angeles Lakers neared. And with Bronny’s agent, Wealthy Paul, reportedly telling any group attempting to draft him that LeBron James’ son will play in Australia if he’s chosen in opposition to his will, it’s no shock that some unfamiliar with how frequent that particular agent tactic is would get upset.
However NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski had a message for viewers watching ESPN at house: Anybody crying about nepotism influencing the Bronny decide ought to flip their eye to your complete league, not simply LeBron James, Bronny and the Lakers.
“The NBA is filled with nepotism… I do not need to hear of it swiftly as a result of Bronny’s father performs for the Lakers. Nepotism is rampant on this league,” Woj says on TV
— Harrison Faigen (@hmfaigen) June 27, 2024
Woj is correct. From Thanasis Antetokounmpo with the Bucks to Chris Smith with the Knicks again within the day, one can argue there are many circumstances of NBA roster spots all through historical past going to a barely much less gifted participant as a favor to maintain their extra heralded sibling blissful. And it’s not simply rosters: NBA teaching staffs are littered with sons of present or former head coaches (or even gamers’ fathers), and entrance places of work steadily populated with the progeny of earlier execs… to not point out, usually, the homeowners’ youngsters as properly.
Plus, it’s not like Bronny is completely unqualified. Earlier to the cardiac arrest he suffered in 2023, he was broadly mocked as a first-round decide, or even a lottery choice. And even after a largely underwhelming season at USC, our personal Ricky O’Donnell nonetheless gave the Lakers’ choice of him a B grade:
James’ freshman yr at USC began with a terrifying coronary heart episode early within the offseason, and he by no means actually discovered his footing after that. James is brief for a guard at 6’1.5 barefoot, however he has lengthy arms, a robust chest, and a superb mentality for a task participant. James isn’t a giant scorer, however he fights for free balls, defends greater gamers, and areas the ground as a three-point shooter. He must shoot it at a excessive stage to stay within the NBA, however he’s proven sufficient at the highschool stage at Sierra Canyon to have an opportunity to stay.
None of that is to say nepotism is nice. It’s simply to say that this case is just distinctive nepotism by NBA requirements in a single sense: We’ve actually by no means seen an NBA participant adequate, for lengthy sufficient, to not solely play with or in opposition to their son, however to be gifted sufficient nonetheless to push their group to draft him.
However whereas LeBron and Bronny are 1/1 in that respect, relations serving to one another get jobs within the NBA, both on a roster or within the teaching and govt ranks? That’s nothing new, so we shouldn’t act like it’s.
