"Turning everything negative and flipping it upside down" - Bronny James explains how Juice WRLD inspired him to pick his jersey number
Bronny James will be wearing the No. 9 jersey for the LA Lakers in his upcoming rookie campaign. James recently explained the reason why he chose the number and how the late rapper Juice WRLD inspired him to use it. He wore the No. 0 at Sierra Canyon and No. 6 at USC.
In a video uploaded by the Lakers on YouTube, Bronny was asked several questions to help the fanbase learn more about him. One of the questions was the reason for choosing the No. 9 jersey instead of the previous numbers he wore in high school or college.
"Well, there wasn't many numbers available for me to pick. Nine was one of the ones that you know resonated with me, especially 'cause I have three of them tatted on me. But Juice WRLD, his 999 meaning, it's turning everything negative and flipping it upside down," Bronny said.
The number 999 has been part of Juice WRLD's branding throughout his short career. The rapper still had a lot of influence despite passing away at the age of 21 on December 8, 2019, due to toxic levels of oxycodone and codeine in his body.
In addition to his jersey number, Bronny James was also asked about his feelings during draft night. There were a lot of skeptics about his prospects of making it to the NBA, but the LA Lakers selected him at No. 55 in the second round of this year's draft.
"I tried to keep my mind as far away as possible, so I felt really calm and happy where I was. When my name was called, it was a lot of emotions," Bronny said.
LA Lakers rookie denies anonymous report about Bronny James
An anonymous LA Lakers player from their Summer League roster made headlines recently after telling the US Sun that Bronny James received special treatment. However, fellow Lakers rookie Blake Hinson denied the report was true and explained how everyone was treated fairly, including LeBron James' son.
"Honestly, you know how it is. Stuff like that doesn't really shock me. But we need to figure out if that's even true because to be totally honest with you, as far as his treatment, he was just a normal guy. He just played basketball, he really stays out of the way. He's a cool dude. I don't really understand how something like that came out. So that's nonsense to me," Hinson told Lakers Nation.
Bronny James had a rough start to the Summer League before playing better and getting his rhythm. He will remain under pressure to perform in the upcoming season despite being a second-round pick. He is also set to make history with his father once they are on the court together officially.