"That's dope as hell" - Nick Wright applauds LeBron James for breaking 'absentee father' stereotype with Bronny on Lakers
NBA analyst Nick Wright praised LA Lakers star LeBron James on his show, "What's Wright," on Friday. Wright usually talks about James' performance on the court, but this time he also praised the 22-year veteran's personal life and family.
Wright recalled the details of James' career, from starting in the league out of high school to being a part of the GOAT debate. Following that, the analyst recollected the situation with Lakers rookie Bronny James, who was a top prospect coming out of high school but faced a health issue before playing a single game in college.
After all that happened, Bronny still got drafted into the league. Wright then talked about the special moment between the father-son duo when they both took the court together on Tuesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
"I thought it was super dope," Wright said. "I also think there is an element of, and this goes unspoken with a lot of it, but I'll speak to it... Absent fathers, kids all over the country that they don't see."
Wright praised James for being a present father to his children, breaking the stereotype of being an absentee father.
"The face of the league, for 20 years, has been active and as involved parent and husband, as we've ever seen in sports. And now his oldest son, shared the court with him in an NBA game. If you can't see that that is an unbelievable story... that was dope as hell."
Bronny talked about his experience of sharing the court with LeBron James
Lakers head coach JJ Redick granted fans' wishes during the second period against the Wolves and put the father-son duo on the court at the same time. The crowd gave the pair a standing ovation as they entered the court.
The younger James played less than three minutes in the Lakers' season opener. He didn't get to score a basket and only had one rebound in the night. After the game, the rookie talked about his experience playing with his father, fulfilling both of their dreams.
"I mean, try not to focus on everything that’s going on around me, and I’m trying to focus on going in as a rookie and not trying to mess up. But yeah, I mean, I totally did feel the energy, and I appreciate the Laker nation for showing support for me and for my dad," Bronny said.
The Lakers play their second game of the season on Friday against the Phoenix Suns. It's another chance for the coaching staff to let the father-son duo share the court again.