Bronny James Drafted by Lakers at No. 55
In a highly anticipated move, Bronny James was selected in the second round of the NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, where he may have the opportunity to play alongside his renowned father, LeBron James.
The 19-year-old was the 55th pick in the draft held in New York on Thursday, following weeks of speculation regarding his destination.
LeBron James, a four-time NBA champion at 39, is potentially entering the final year of his career. He could become a free agent this summer if he opts out of his $51.4 million (£40.6 million) player option when the window opens at the end of June. However, this scenario appears unlikely, as LeBron stated after the All-Star game in 2022 that his "last year will be played with my son."
A father-son duo has never played together in the NBA before.
Bronny recently completed his first year of college basketball with the University of Southern California Trojans, where he averaged 4.8 points and 2.1 assists per game.
Unlike his father, who stands at 6 feet 9 inches and is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, Bronny is 6 feet 1 inch and is known more for his defensive skills.
As the son of a four-time Most Valuable Player, Bronny attracts significant attention. He has 7.7 million Instagram followers, and his journey has been closely monitored by pundits for years.
However, his path has not been without challenges. Bronny suffered a cardiac arrest during training last July and was only cleared to return to basketball in November after being diagnosed with a congenital heart defect.
While Bronny is not expected to play a major role for the Lakers in his rookie season, the potential of him sharing the court with his father is expected to draw considerable attention.
