{"id":78838,"date":"2024-02-27T18:49:57","date_gmt":"2024-02-27T18:49:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/27\/lebron-james-defends-son-bronny-after-hes-dropped-from-mock-draft\/"},"modified":"2024-02-27T18:49:57","modified_gmt":"2024-02-27T18:49:57","slug":"lebron-james-defends-son-bronny-after-hes-dropped-from-mock-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/27\/lebron-james-defends-son-bronny-after-hes-dropped-from-mock-draft\/","title":{"rendered":"LeBron James Defends Son Bronny After He\u2019s Dropped From Mock Draft"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Courtesy of LeBron James\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

LeBron James<\/strong><\/a> is arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, but at the end of the day, he\u2019s still just a supportive father.<\/p>\n

After his son and University of Southern California basketball star Bronny James<\/strong><\/a> was dropped from ESPN\u2019s latest 2024 NBA Draft projections, the Los Angeles Lakers icon, 39, defended Bronny, 19, in since-deleted social media messages.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan yall please just let the kid be a kid and enjoy college basketball,\u201d LeBron wrote via X on Monday, February 26. \u201cThe work and results will ultimately do the talking no matter what he decides to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

LeBron continued, \u201cIf y\u2019all don\u2019t know he doesn\u2019t care what a mock draft says, he just WORKS! Earned Not Given!\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>Gabrielle! Ayesha! Jordyn! Meet the Partners of Basketball Players<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tLove off the court! Gabrielle Union, Ayesha Curry, Jordyn Woods and more stars have settled down with professional basketball players over the years. The Bring It On actress, for her part, met Dwyane Wade in 2007 at a Super Bowl party. The two called it quits in early 2013 due to conflicting schedules and long-distance [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

In the mock draft \u2014 a predictor of where college and amateur players will land professionally \u2014 ESPN did not list Bronny among their candidates for this June\u2019s NBA Draft.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd to all the other kids out there striving to be great just keep your head down, blinders on and keep grinding,\u201d LeBron concluded in a second since-deleted tweet. \u201cThese Mock Drafts doesn\u2019t matter one bit! I promise you! Only the WORK MATTERS!! Let\u2019s talk REAL BASKETBALL PEOPLE! \u270c\ud83c\udffe\ud83d\udc51.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Bronny doesn\u2019t appear in this year\u2019s mock draft, ESPN\u2019s Jonathan Givony<\/strong> does <\/i>have him going in the second round, 39th overall, to the Portland Trail Blazers in his 2025 mock draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Bronny not being included in the 2024 draft would have been surprising at this time last year, but after suffering cardiac arrest<\/a> in July 2023 and returning to the court<\/a> for an underwhelming freshman season with the Trojans thus far, his placement is understandable.<\/p>\n

Nineteen games into his freshman season at USC, Bronny is averaging 5.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.<\/p>\n

What makes Bronny\u2019s mock draft placement even more intriguing is that it assumes Bronny will return for his sophomore season with the Trojans, which has yet to be confirmed.<\/p>\n

LeBron has been vocal about his desire to play with Bronny in the NBA, telling ESPN<\/a> in October 2023, \u201cI need to be on the floor with my boy, I got to be on the floor with Bronny.\u201d<\/p>\n

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