Bronny James is determined to find a home in the NBA. During an appearance on the “No Chill with Gilbert Arenas” podcast, Lebron James’ agent Rich Paul revealed Bronny’s hopes ahead of the draft.
“I sat with him in my office and I said to him, ‘Bronny, what’s important to you?’ You know what he said to me? ‘Man, Rich, I just want to hear my name called,'” Paul recalled. “He didn’t say I want to go No. 1, No. 15, No. 30 — ‘He said I just want to hear my name called.’ That is perspective.
“I root for that, whether his name was Bronny James or Jesse James. I root for that in all these young men because again, in life, all you want is a starting point. There’s a lot of people out here that does not have a starting point and there’s no Waze app to life. And anytime a young man or woman can get a starting point in life, it’s our duty to embrace that and push them as far as we possibly can.”
After recent reports, it appears Bronny will find that starting spot late in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft. Earlier this month, Bronny worked out for Phoenix Suns and his father’s team, the Los Angeles Lakers.
Rich Paul emphasizes finding the right fit
However, Paul made it clear those were not the only two teams Bronny was willing to join.
“The goal is to find a team that values your guy and try to push him to get there,” Paul said. “It’s important to understand the context and realize that this has always been the strategy with many of my clients throughout the years, especially those in need of development like Bronny. My stuff is by design.
“I don’t care about him going to the Lakers, or Phoenix, or about what number he gets picked. It’s about fit.”
In his lone season at USC, Bronny made 25 appearances and six starts, averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 36.6% from the field and 26.7% from beyond the arc. While his numbers don’t pop off the page, Paul believes Bronny can find a role in the NBA.
“For you to be successful in the NBA, you have to find a role,” Paul said. “Most guys that play in the NBA, play a role. Most actors or actresses to play in the movie, play a role.
“There’s very few stars. Focus on a role that allows you to gain value and that value allows you to have consistency amongst a number of years and then it starts over as your contract expires.”
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