The number of Bronny James by the Los Angeles Lakers within the second spherical of the NBA Draft has divided the basketball world.
Bronny entered the draft after garnering arguably probably the most hype of any prospect this 12 months and it was with the fifty fifth choose when he heard his title learn out.
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He’ll develop into one half of the primary ever father-son duo to play within the NBA, as he joins his megastar father LeBron James with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Whereas it was extensively anticipated the Lakers would choose Bronny with their closing choose within the 2024 Draft, it didn’t cease followers far and vast for calling out the transfer as nothing greater than nepotism at its best.
However ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski wasn’t shopping for it and took purpose at these calling out the Lakers with an impassioned speech in the course of the Draft protection.
“I don’t need to hear the costs, individuals speaking about nepotism,” Wojnarowski mentioned.
“The NBA is stuffed with nepotism. The possession stage, entrance workplaces, teaching.
“I don’t need to hear about it unexpectedly as a result of Bronny James’ father performs for the Lakers. It’s rampant on this league.”
As Wojnarowski went into bat for Bronny, former ESPN host Bomani Jones delivered a scathing tackle social media as he known as out fellow journalists.
“Nonetheless can’t consider both LeBron thinks it is a good concept. And it’s embarrassing extra ppl in my occupation received’t name this the clown sh*t that it’s. However right here we’re,” he wrote.
Whereas Jones wasn’t alone in calling out the Lakers over the choice, it’s price going again by way of the document books and looking out on the destiny of former fifty fifth picks within the Draft.
Out of the previous 5 choices taken with the fifty fifth general choose, just one has develop into a daily participant inside his crew’s rotation.
In 2019 the fifty fifth choose was Kyle Man who spent three seasons within the league the place he appeared in 53 video games with averages of three.1 factors, 1.0 rebounds and 0.9 assists. He was waived by the Miami Warmth in 2022.
In 2020 it was Jay Scrubb’s flip to be the fifty fifth choose. He additionally spent three seasons within the league with averages of 4.0 factors, 1.5 rebounds and 0.4 assists throughout 24 video games. He was waived in October 2023 by the Boston Celtics.
Exterior of Aaron Wiggins in 2021, the final time a fifty fifth choose had any main influence within the league was E’Twaun Moore who was drafted in 2011.
Whereas Moore didn’t blow the world away all through his first 5 seasons, his fortune modified when he joined the New Orleans Pelicans and received the NBA’s Most Improved Participant award in 2017/18.
Followers could also be outraged, however the Lakers successfully used a nothing choose to take a young person who earlier than a cardiac arrest scare in 2023 was a McDonald’s All-American.
Now he will get the chance to show the doubters fallacious when he pulls on the Lakers jersey for the primary time.