Former NBA HC weighs in on Bronny James struggles amid pressures of bearing father's legacy: "It's a gift and a curse to be the son of LeBron James"
While USC freshman Bronny James blanked for the second consecutive game in terms of points, the USC Trojans won a second consecutive game 81-73 against the Arizona State Sun Devils on Friday.
Former Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson weighed in on the discourse surrounding LeBron James's son on an episode of "The Mark Jackson Show."
"“If you’re Bronny James, there’s going to be people that’s going to celebrate you; there’s going to be people that’s going to hate.
"It’s a gift and a curse to be the son of LeBron. … My son was almost dead; thank God that he’s still alive,” Jackson said.
Insiders talk about the Bronny James situation
USC Trojans star Bronny James' poor recent form and subsequent removal from the latest ESPN NBA mock drafts in the last few weeks has sparked several conversations.
Insiders with knowledge of the USC freshman have given an insight into how he deals with the pressure of being the son of one of one of the NBA's greatest players.
Former NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury, on the "Ball Don't Stop" podcast, put a positive spin on Bronny James potentially not being a one and done player in college basketball.
“First, I think that Bronny is a pro. He’s playing 20 minutes, which is half the game in college. I think he needs to play more to be able to make more mistakes, needs to have the opportunity to really show his ability,” said Marbury on the Ball Don’t Stop podcast. “Him staying in school for two years is not a bad thing. We’ve got guys like Allen Iverson who played two years in college.”
“When I look at him as an NBA player, he has all of the qualities. He’s six-foot-four. He's 210. He's strong. And he will get stronger.. He will get better. His dad is one of the greatest basketball players to ever play. He has all of the equipment, and he has the tools. Once he puts all those things together, I think he’ll be fine,” said Marbury.
Andy Enfield, the USC coach, gave an insight into James's demeanor amid the struggle in form after the game against Arizona State.
“He has no ego,” Andy Enfield said. “Sure, he wants to do well for himself, but he’s all about the team. It’s who he is as a person. He’s the son of one of the greatest basketball players of all time. But when he steps on the court, he’s Bronny—and he’s just one of the guys."
“We expect him to be a terrific player down the line. He has a big upside in his game, and as he gets more experience, it just keeps developing.”
Bronny James has not yet given any indication of his future plans. While they remain in limbo, the college hoops world will continue speaking about LeBron James' son.