The Los Angeles Lakers selected USC guard Bronny James with the No. 55 pick in Thursday's second round of the NBA Draft.
Read more: Bronny James, Son of LeBron, Drafted by Lakers in Second Round of NBA Draft
James joins the team that his father, LeBron, spent the last six seasons with, and has a player option for the 2024-25 season.
Many people around the game have screamed "nepotism" at the pick, but most people in the game of basketball have offered high praise for it. The latest? Golden State Warriors All-Star Draymond Green.
On Friday, Green posted an episode of The Draymond Green Show speaking about the Lakers' decision to draft Bronny. He had a lot of praise for both Bronny and the Lakers regarding the pick — and also has some high expectations for Bronny at the NBA level.
"I actually think Bronny is going to end up being a better pro than a lot of these players in this draft," Green said. "(He) has the athleticism, has the basketball IQ, plays the game the right way. I think he's gonna be a good shooter in the NBA. And I think a lot of people judge Bronny off of his production last year at USC, which is a little skewed."
Green went on to say that Bronny not only had to come back in the middle of the year after suffering cardiac arrest but had to do it as a first-year player with a new team. He also didn't get to play his natural position of point guard with Isaiah Collier, a first-round pick in this year's draft, playing at USC, too.
Read more: 2024 NBA Draft: Winners, Losers, Biggest Surprises of First Round
So, Green expects Bronny to be a solid player at the NBA level and is betting on him having a good career.
"I'm just gonna take the bet. This kid works hard, he has LeBron James' DNA, and I'm gonna take the bet on that," Green said. "And then you watch him play and he's a good basketball player. I'm gonna take that bet."
Expectations shouldn't be too high for Bronny considering he was the fourth-to-last pick in the draft. Most players picked that late don't end up making an impact at the NBA level — but Green expects Bronny to.
"You got him at 55. So if he even becomes a rotational player you did great," Green said. "And I think he could possibly become a rotational player in the next two years."
James is set to wear No. 9 for the Lakers in his debut season. His role is yet to be determined, but his agent, Rich Paul, made it clear that he wanted his client to go to a team that would develop him and help his NBA career. It appears the Lakers are that team.
More news: Bronny James' Agent Reportedly Telling Teams Not to Draft Him
About the writer
Noah Camras graduated from USC in 2022 with a B.A. in Journalism and minor in Sports Media Studies. He's worked ... Read more
