"Idiot to look down on him" - LeBron James rips critics for harsh treatment of Bronny James 

LeBron James ripped his son Bronny James' critics to shreds during his appearance on Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce's podcast, "New Heights." The 20-year-old has seen endless slander online since he got drafted on his father's team as a second-round pick. Many have expressed their dissatisfaction with how Bronny got his opportunity.

Instead of giving him the benefit of the doubt, critics believe he's one of the major products of nepotism. Bronny has also struggled with his performances early on amid the hype and pressure surrounding him after teaming up with LeBron James on the Lakers.

However, LeBron is proud of how his eldest son has navigated through it and continues to put in the work. Here's what he said:

"If you ever meet Bronny, then you'll be like, 'I'm such an idiot to look down on him or not want him to do great.' He is the most chill, easy, fun kid in the world. He goes to work, he goes home, he takes care of his body, he plays his video games, he breathes a little bit, and then he comes back, he does the same thing." (34:25)

(This podcast was transcribed via Spotify)

LeBron James also hailed Bronny James' resiliency, saying it would only make him great. He cited the Lakers rookie's "life-threatening" situation, too, when Bronny suffered a cardiac arrest at USC's practice facility in 2023. That incident hindered his basketball journey to a degree, delaying his college career's start and impacting his progression on the court.

Bronny also opened up on this several times, saying it took him a while to regain his confidence and groove after the major incident. Nevertheless, he has hit his strides during his G League stints with the South Bay Lakers, producing impressive performances over the past month.

---

LeBron James okay with idea of Bronny James leaving basketball

LeBron James is often hailed for his on-court skills, but even his critics acknowledge him for maintaining his image as a role model off the court, mainly as a family man. The Lakers star gave everyone another reason to praise him for the same after he reiterated that he wants Bronny James to forge his own path and make his decisions himself, even if it includes leaving basketball.

"Bronny doesn't have to play basketball at all," LeBron said on the "New Heights" podcast. "It's not like he needs the money. He can do whatever he wants. He can do whatever he wants to do. Like, if he wants to be the CEO of my company, he could be that."

However, LeBron said it's Bronny's wish to play basketball and excel at it. The 20-year-old is only getting started, and despite early struggles, he's shown glimpses of potentially having a long career as a winning player over being an All-Star or franchise centerpiece like his father.