Lakers News: Bronny James Was Almost Drafted By Direct Rival Ahead of LA’s Pick

The Los Angeles Lakers’ decision to select guard Bronny James out of USC in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft made headlines for

multiple reasons. First, it created the first-ever father-son duo in the NBA, prompting a special moment for the entire basketball world. But it also had many people believing that James was only taken due to his dad being on the roster. The Lakers were accused of nepotism by many, especially with Bronny not having a great season in college. Despite this, he decided to make the leap to the NBA and now will be able to live out his dream as an NBA player. But getting him to Los Angeles may have not been as easy as it seemed. Los Angeles had the No. 55 pick in the second round, while a few other teams just ahead of them showed interest in the young guard.

In fact, it seems that the Lakers’ rival, the Golden State Warriors, almost drafted James. However, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, Golden State backed out due to the respect that they had for the wishes of LeBron to play alongside his son. “The Warriors liked Bronny’s skill set and had him on their draft board, sources said. 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.” Even with the respect that Golden State had for Bronny’s dad, his agent also was telling teams not to draft his client. The plan all along was to get Bronny to the Lakers so he could play alongside his dad but also because his team believed that Los Angeles was the best landing spot for him. With new head coach JJ Redick in place, the Lakers will be putting more emphasis on player development. For Bronny, it could take a minute for him to become an impactful player at the NBA level so having a team that prides itself in player development is crucial.

Los Angeles will need to be patient with the young guard and allow him to work through his missteps. If they can do that, the Lakers could end up getting a productive piece to their future

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