“Bronny has it worse than any high school kid, any kid growing up” - Amari Bailey on Bronny James constantly being under the microscope
Amari Bailey and Bronny James have become two of the most popular names in high school basketball. Although the two prospects have generated plenty of hype on the court, the Sierra Canyon High teammates also share a close relationship off of it.
Bailey, a five-star, is ranked No. 2 in the 2022 class by ESPN.com and has signed to play for the UCLA Bruins next year. James, a four-star, is ranked No. 43 in the 2023 class. James is the son of LA Lakers star and NBA icon LeBron James.
With Bailey departing, James is expected to have an increased role in his upcoming senior year for a team that is stacked with top talent.
In an interview with Marc Spears, Bailey talked about how tough it's been for James, given the realization that anything he does is watched so closely.
"Bronny has it worse than any high school kid, any kid growing up," Bailey said. "Anything that he does is under the microscope. And I’ve gotten to study it for three years, how he handles it. He’s very mellow. He’s very chill with it. He doesn’t get rattled much."
Top prospect Amari Bailey is changing perceptions on his way to UCLA and the #NBA. Top ranked guard talks about handling social media fame, his relationship with LeBron & Bronny, how his single mother influenced his game & more. @nikehoopsummit @andscape
bit.ly/3LOHTZk
Bronny James continues to try to make a name for himself
It's not easy to make a name for yourself when you're the son of one of the NBA's greatest basketball players. While Bronny will always be known as the son of LeBron James, it's clear the talented guard is trying to fashion his own basketball career.
After a promising junior season at Sierra Canyon, Bronny will now be getting ready to take another step forward as a senior.
Lebron James says his son Bronny James is #1 on his list that he WANTS to play with on The Shop 👀 https://t.co/402Q2QxvQa
James is ranked as the 43rd player in ESPN's top 100 for the 2023 class.
While teammate Amari Bailey looks like a potential 2023 NBA draft prospect, there are still questions about James' future at the NBA level.
After missing much of his sophomore year with a knee injury, James has shown flashes as a junior that have gotten the attention of NBA scouts. However, the 17-year-old guard has still been extremely inconsistent. He will need to take another step forward in his senior season if he wants to play in the NBA some day.
James will need to finish his senior season and another season in college before he can enter his name for the 2024 draft.