FACT CHECK: Did Bronny James reference Giannis Antetokounmpo's situation to justify his own NBA draft declaration? Viral claim debunked

Bronny James shocked the basketball world Friday when he announced that he'd be entering the NBA draft. Among the things to surface on social media was a quote taking a jab at one of the league's top stars.

In the post that has gone viral on X, Bronny is quoted talking about his decision to go pro. It states that he should be drafted to play alongside his dad the same way Giannis Antetokounmpo is teammates with his brother.

At first glace, this post might seem real. However, it is not a real Bronny James quote. It was posted from a troll account that impersonates as a major NBA news account.

The joke was made in regards to the Milwaukee Bucks signing Thanasis Antetokounmpo year after year. Despite not producing much on the court, the team keeps him around to please their star player.

The meme account likely made this post due to some of LeBron James' previous comments as well. Playing alongside his son is a goal he's been open about for some time now. LeBron has even gone as far as to say he will sign with whatever team drafts his oldest son.

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Bronny James is maintaining flexibility with his NBA draft decision

While Bronny James has declared for the NBA draft, it doesn't mean that he will be a pro next year. The guard prospect is keeping all his options open in regards to his future.

Along with declaring for the draft, the son of the LA Lakers star is also entering the NCAA transfer portal. According to reports, Bronny will work out for NBA teams before making a final decision. Once he has a good gauge of his draft stock, he can decide to fully commit to the draft or return to college for a sophomore season.

Bronny's first year of college did not go how he might have planned. Everything got derailed over the summer following his cardiac arrest. The son of the NBA star was able to get on the court later in the season, but his numbers didn't jump off the page.

In 25 games for USC, Bronny James averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists. His shot also struggled, shooting 36.6% from the field and 26.7% from beyond the arc. Following this lackluster freshman campaign, many have called for Bronny to return to college for one more year.

At this time, Bronny still has time to make a final decision. He could test his luck trying to develop at the pro level. That said, transferring somewhere where he could be a focal point might lead to him upping his stock to be taken in the first round of the 2025 draft.