Bronny and LeBron James are set to make history Friday when the father-son duo makes their NBA preseason debut with the Lakers.
There have been several instances where sons play in the NBA long after their fathers retire, but never simultaneously.
LeBron’s dominant longevity, entering his 22nd season coming off an All-NBA Second Team honor last year, is so unprecedented that it has afforded him the opportunity to play with his junior.
However, a recent report from ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne suggests that the James tandem was just as close to being opponents as they were to being teammates.
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Why didn’t the Warriors draft Bronny James?
The Warriors had the No. 52 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and “weighed whether to take Bronny” with their second-round selection, ESPN’s Shelburne reported Friday.
“The Warriors liked Bronny’s skill set and had him on their draft board,” Shelburne wrote.
Shelburne added that the Warriors tried to trade for LeBron last season. With the four-time NBA MVP facing a player option in 2024 free agency, drafting Bronny could have been a last-ditch effort to bring the “James Gang” to The Bay.
But instead of potentially turning family members into opponents and enemies, Golden State ultimately passed on the USC guard, paving the way for the family to remain in Los Angeles.
“Selecting him ahead of the Lakers, who held the 55th pick, would’ve been a shrewd move — perhaps even to entice James to sign there as a free agent. But ultimately, sources said, the Warriors opted to respect the wishes James had made clear and the Lakers signaled they would grant.”
Bronny enters the NBA after one season at USC where he averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. The expectation is that he will spend most of his rookie season in the G League to continue developing.
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Who did the Warriors draft instead of Bronny James?
The Warriors settled on Quinten Post with the No. 52 pick, a 7-foot center out of Boston College.
Post was a 2024 All-ACC Second Team member who averaged 17.0 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.7 blocks and 0.9 steals in 31.9 minutes per game in 2023-24. The 24-year-old is a strong rim protector with stretch-big upside, converting 42.9 percent of his 170 3-point attempts over his final two college seasons.
Golden State signed Post to a two-way contract, so he will spend time with both the NBA club and the G League Santa Cruz Warriors this season.
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