The Los Angeles Lakers taking Bronny James, the son of LeBron James, with the No. 55 pick in last month’s draft and signing him to a contract has been seen by many as a feel-good story. However, there are also plenty who have been crying about nepotism and saying that the Lakers took the younger James only because of his father’s influence.
The younger James didn’t exactly do well during his lone season of college basketball at the University of Southern California. In his first summer league game on Saturday, he struggled, going just 2-of-9 from the field and missing all three of his 3-point attempts.
Plenty are skeptical that he will amount to anything in the NBA. But the elder James said in an interview with Dave McMenamin that his son doesn’t care about those critics.
Via ESPN:
“I don’t know if people really understand Bronny,” James told ESPN as part of a wide-ranging interview after USA Basketball practice Sunday in preparation for the Paris Olympics. “He doesn’t care. I actually care a little bit. When I came in [as a rookie], I wanted people to like me, and some of the things that people were saying about me kind of bothered me early on in my career. … He doesn’t give a [expletive].
“He does not care about nobody. He doesn’t even listen to that stuff. He’s like the coolest. He’s like the complete opposite of his dad. His dad will say something [to address the critics]. Bro does not care. … Everything that’s being said about him, he really does not care.”
Not caring about one’s critics is an admirable quality to have, as it makes it easier for someone to remain focused on the task at hand and keep the main thing the main thing.
The younger James has reportedly been signed to a four-year contract that will pay him $7.9 million, so it looks like the Lakers will be willing to be patient with him as he develops into whatever he will become.