"You not gonna be him"- Ken Griffey Jr. reveals advice to LeBron James' son Bronny James before NBA debut
Bronny James had Ken Griffey Jr.'s back when he made his NBA debut next to his father, LeBron James, on Oct. 23 against the Timberwolves. Griffey Jr. had already experienced a similar moment when he stepped on the field with his father, Ken Griffey Sr., to become the MLB's first-ever father-son duo to play together.
The Griffeys attended the momentous occasion for the James family, and Ken Jr. advised Bronny on how to go about his business in the league while playing with LeBron.
Ken Jr. revealed his advice to the Lakers rookie in the latest episode of Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson's show, "Night Cap With Unc & Ocho" released Tuesday, saying:
"You're gonna learn a lot by being able to sit there and be on the bench watching him."
Ken Jr. cited how quarterbacks in the NFL now don't have the same luxury the older generation had of growing under someone's mentorship to explain why Bronny must have LeBron around.
He continued:
"I did tell Bronny, 'Hey, relax, enjoy it, be you, you're not gonna be him [LeBron]. Nobody's him.'"
Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. made history on Aug. 31, 1990, as the first-ever father-son duo to play on the same MLB team. Griffey Sr. played 18 seasons from 1973 to 1991, while Griffey Jr. played 22. While Griffey Sr. was a 22nd-round pick in 1973, Griffey Jr. was the No. 1 pick in 1987.
LeBron James' son Bronny James' career path is contrasting to Ken Griffey Jr.'s
Ken Griffey Jr. and Bronny James entered the pros in different situations. Griffey Jr. was a top pick and expected to lead the Seattle Mariners franchise. He did that efficiently and impressed in his first 11 MLB seasons with startling production. Meanwhile, Bronny James is a late second-round pick and far from a polished prospect.
Meanwhile, his father, LeBron James, is still LA's second-best player and crucial in the grand scheme of things. Bronny is expected to spend most of his rookie year in the G League so that he can develop and polish his skills to warrant a rotation role with the Lakers.
His projected ceiling is of an efficient 3-and-D role player. He initially drew comparisons with Lonzo Ball, Jrue Holiday and Marcus Smart. However, for Bronny to reach those levels, he must add to his offensive game, especially for someone of his size. He has the foundation to be a great player and the natural attributes he can build on, like his athleticism.