"Just let the young man breathe": Kendrick Perkins wants LeBron James to replicate Carmelo Anthony’s approach for son Bronny James

NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins suggested that Lakers superstar LeBron James should adopt the approach of ten-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony for his son Bronny James.

On Monday, Perkins appeared on NBA Today with Malika Andrews to discuss Bronny's absence from the 2024 NBA Mock Draft and why he isn't ranked higher.

ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givony listed Bronny as 39th in the 2025 Mock Draft. He feels that James has yet to perform at the level of a one-and-done player this season.

He is averaging only 5.5 points per game and shooting 37.1% from the field for the USC team. The team has the worst record in the Pack 12, which is not considered one-and-done caliber.

Nevertheless, former NBA player Kendrick Perkins is confident that Bronny will make it to the NBA and have a successful career. However, Perkins also believes that Bronny will not be able to match up with his father's legacy.

Perkins encourages Bronny to be himself and carve his path:

[00:04:57] “Just let the young man breathe,” Perkins said. “Carmelo Anthony had (an) interesting thing on his podcast, where he talked about the relationship with his son (Kiyan), and how he don't let his son get too far ahead.

"He stays in the moment. He's not going to tell them he's going to be this. He was like, ‘No, you actually got to get to college first,’ and then we're gonna worry about your freshman year college into your sophomore year, and then we'll start to worry about the pros.”

“I think that's the steps we all need to start looking at when it comes to Bronny,” he added.

Bronny James would be a “lottery pick”

Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans

According to ESPN draft analyst Givony, despite missing four months due to a heart issue that affected his season, Bronny James is still an exceptional player.

“He's one of the best defenders in this freshman class; he's phenomenal at getting over screens,” Givony said on ESPN. “Mirroring one-on-one, busting up handoffs, locking up, generating turnovers. He is physical, competitive, (and) he's got a great feel for the game. I think if Bronny James comes back for his sophomore season, we're going to see a completely different guy.”

Givony believes that if James returns for his sophomore season, he could become a completely different player and “really could be a lottery pick still."