Bronny James was the 55th pick in the annual NBA draft that sees clubs recruit the best rookie players to bolster their teams. His recruitment, however, has captured headlines around the world and reignited debates about ‘nepo babies’ and the pulling power of family collaborations.
Bronny (19) wasn’t considered the brightest NBA draft prospect and it’s doubtful he’ll make a big impact on the court in his rookie year. But the very thought of NBA history being made when he and his legendary dad play together will get bums on seats, eyes on screens and contracts through the door.
The multiplier effect of family collaborations is marketing gold. The famous collaborating with family members provides a tantalising opportunity to scrutinise every interaction and draw conclusions about their relationships.
Sporting tie-ups on a par with LeBron and Bronny’s are incredibly rare. Having a star name can only get you so far if you don’t have the talent to back it up in the sports.
'Nepo collabs' can make or break a project
The picture is very different in the entertainment world where a lack of talent is no barrier to success and ‘nepo collabs’ are big business - delivering massive returns if they work, or crashing and burning if they don't.
Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola was vilified for casting his daughter Sofia as Al Pacino’s mafia don's child, in the third instalment of his Godfather trilogy.
Although widely regarded as the weakest of the three films, the experience helped propel Sofia to a successful career behind the camera.
In 2003, her movie Lost in Translation won her an Oscar for best original screenplay and secured an historic best director nomination – at the time she was the first American woman to be nominated for the prize.
Mr and Mrs Smith
Hollywood power couple Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett-Smith have been working with their kids Jaden and Willow since they were old enough to sign a contract.
Jaden’s first feature film credit was alongside Will in the 2006 movie, The Pursuit of Happiness, when he was just 8-years-old.
As a thirteen-year-old he co-starred with his dad again in the 2013 film After Earth. Neither film was a classic but they did turn a small profit at the box office.
In 2008 Willow Smith worked with her mother on the animated film Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.
Eight-year-old Willow was the voice of a young Gloria the hippopotamus, her mother Jada voiced the adult Gloria.
UK actress Elizabeth Hurley and her son Damian took the ‘nepo baby’ phenomena to a new and some say disturbing level in 2024. Damian directed his mum in a now infamous lesbian sex scene in the universally panned film Strictly Confidential – IMDb rated the film a 2.9 out of 10.
Keeping up with the Kardashians
Global stars the Kardashians are perhaps the planet’s most successful ‘nepo family’. Keeping up with the Kardashians is a money-making juggernaut that’s helped generate billions of dollars for Caitlin, Kim, Kourtney, Khloé, Kendall, Kylie, Rob, their children and assorted partners.
Ever the innovator, Kim Kardashian has also pulled-off the ultimate ‘nepo baby’ power move by getting her eldest child in on the family business as early as possible.
North West, Kim’s first child with former husband singer Kanye West, has appeared in a Balmain fashion show in Paris, modelled for her mother’s Skims shapewear brand, appeared on the cover of magazines around the world, and been hailed as a mini style icon praised for her sartorial boldness and creativity, all by the age of 10.
She’s a strong contender for the ultimate ‘nepo baby’ title and her collab with her mum must be among the most successful family tie-ups, and their story has just begun.
Only time will tell if Bronny has the talent to have a successful basketball career, but regardless of his ability, when he steps on to the court with his famous dad, his name will go down in basketball history. That’s quite a feat for a 55th draft pick.
