Revisited: "They'll have it tougher than LeBron had it" - Former NBA champion's comments on LeBron James' kids living under a microscope after video of Bronny James smoking marijuana went viral
In the latest edition of Revisited, four-time NBA champion John Salley discussed Bronny James and the rest of LeBron James' kids living under a microscope. Salley also commented on Bronny getting caught smoking weed in September 2020.
The former Detroit Pistons star was a guest on VladTV in October 2020, where he spoke about a variety of topics. They included LeBron James and his kids, particularly Bronny. The eldest son of "The King" accidentally posted a video of himself smoking pot on Instagram. Salley said:
"Marijuana is legal in the state of California. Trees are dope, and the deal is these are kids. Everybody that's reporting on them are adults... Any adult that forget what their childhood is a shame, the fact that you are holding it against him. That's what you do. They smoke weed."
Vlad then asked Salley if Bronny James could live up to his father's legacy as one of the greatest players of all time. The four-time NBA champion pointed out that Bronny would be trained to handle the media, much like LeBron.
Salley said that James' kids would have a tougher time than their famous father, though. He said:
"I think LeBron's kid would know how to deal with the media. I think the swag would be great, but I also think they'll have it tougher than LeBron had. Way tougher, under a microscope, but they know how to move that way like Kobe (Bryant) because his father was (Joe) 'Jellybean' and then played in the pros and was kind of famous in Italy."
LeBron James has three children with his wife Savannah. The oldest one is Bronny, followed by Bryce, while the youngest is their daughter Zhuri. Bronny is expected to be part of the 2024 NBA Draft Class, while Bryce could be in the 2026 NBA Draft Class.
Bronny James' scouting report
Bronny James will turn 17 later this year. He stands at 6' 3" and weighs around 190 pounds. He plays as a shooting guard but can also play the point. Bronny's not one of the top recruits of his class, but many experts believe he could get drafted in the first round, as he's LeBron James' son.
"The King" had already declared earlier this year that his final season in the NBA will be played whenever and wherever Bronny is drafted. The possibility of LeBron James playing with his son in his final season means a lot of teams are going to be interested.
LeBron James wants to play wherever Bronny is for his last year đź‘Ź https://t.co/GVLY09tn4Y
According to Bryan Kalbrosky of USA Today, Bronny James might not have the size of his father, but he possesses excellent passing skills and great feel for the game. Kalbrosky also praised Bronny's defensive ability and motor, which would make him a good NBA player, comparable with De'Anthony Melton of the Memphis Grizzlies. He said:
"It made me more confident in his NBA future as a defensive player, sort of in the mold of Grizzlies guard De’Anthony Melton. While I can't confidently assess whether or not he’ll have success at the next level, just based on LeBron's legacy, I think he'll get a shot to at least prove it to us one way or another."
Bronny with the CHASEDOWN block in front of his pops 🤯 @thebattleus https://t.co/yclu64Al3F