Former NBA player Kwame Brown criticized the hype surrounding Bronny James, claiming that younger athletes outperform the Lakers sophomore.
In a recent episode of his podcast, Brown said, via HoopsHype, “This ain’t year one. This is year two. This don’t make no sense. We got high school players better than Bronny. Absolutely got high school players better than Bronny.”
Brown highlighted Bronny’s history in high school and college, stating, “Bronny was never the best high school player on his team. He was never the best college player on his team. And he still gets 12 shots in a preseason game where everybody’s auditioning.”
The former No. 1 overall pick also touched on the influence of politics in sports, suggesting it played a role in Bronny’s early opportunities. “Politics is in everything. Politics is in sports. It’s all about politics,” Brown added.
Bronny, selected 55th overall by the Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft, joined his father, LeBron James, making history as the first father-son duo in the NBA.
During his rookie season, James split time between the Lakers and the South Bay Lakers in the G League, posting notable performances including a 39-point game in March 2025.
The Lakers have also provided Bronny with developmental opportunities, including multiple G League assignments where he has averaged 21.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game across 11 contests.
