"I believe his dad will maintain a level that he'll be able to play" - Shannon Sharpe says the onus is on Bronny James to hold up his end of the bargain, gives him teaming up with LeBron a 30 percent chance
Shannon Sharpe has long been one of LeBron James' biggest supporters. After news broke that James would be signing a contract extension with the LA Lakers, Sharpe said he wasn't surprised by the news. His "Unisputed" co-host, Skip Bayless, took a different approach, claiming that James had given away his leverage.
While the future Hall of Famer may have removed a potential distraction for the Lakers entering the season, the focus has shifted to his desire to play with his son, Bronny James. Kendrick Perkins said that James has been publicly angling to get his son drafted. With James' immediate future in Los Angeles, Sharpe discussed the odds of the four-time champion eventually teaming up with his son.
Sharpe said that the onus is on the younger James to make his father's dream a reality:
"It's up to Bronny to hold his end of the deal. I believe LeBron James will still be playing in the NBA in Year 22. As I watch Bronny's clips, he gets better and better every time I watch. Is that enough to get him to ... this level? We'll have to wait and see, but I know how important that is to LeBron, because it's so close."
Sharpe compared the pair to another famous father-son duo:
"The narrative says – you know what? – we got a prodigy, and even though Ken Griffey Sr. is not the player that he once was, we got the prodigy. And to see this happen, because we might not ever, ever see it again, let's make it happen.
"OK, but ... it's reversed. It's reversed. It's the senior – right – versus the junior. In the other situation, it's the junior versus the senior.
He made his prediction on the chances that father and son will team up:
"If Bronny keeps progressing, is it going to be good enough to get him to the next level? Because I believe his dad will maintain a level that he'll be able to play. Because LeBron, yeah, his athleticism is starting to wane, but he's still one of the two or three smartest guys to have ever played the game.
"So, he can play the game with his mind while his athleticism wanes somewhat. OK, I'd say I will give it a 30, I will say 25, 30 percent chance that they get an opportunity to play together."
Will LeBron team up with his son?
LeBron James is one of the greatest players to pick up a basketball. In his final act, he would like to play with his son, Bronny. His contract extension has no effect on the likelihood of that happening, as James can become a free agent when his son is draft-eligible.
LeBron has said he's playing his final season with Bronny. He just gave himself the ability to become a free agent the same offseason that Bronny is draft eligible.
You don't even have to post the Windy meme to connect the dots.
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While LeBron has also said that he'd like to retire as a Laker, it's easy to see a team drafting Bronny in order to sign his father. That's particularly so if James remains at the top of his game. There is always a chance the Lakers are the team to draft Bronny. If Bronny is able to develop into a one-and-done prospect, the odds of the father-son pair teaming up will increase tremendously.
The earliest Bronny can play in the NBA is the 2024-25 season.