“You’re not as good as your dad”: NBA icon Paul Pierce explains what goes through audience’s minds when they watch Bronny James play 

Ex-NBA star Paul Pierce recently shared how audiences try to unfairly compare Bronny James to his veteran father, LeBron James. Pierce was reacting to comments made by LeBron about the hatred faced by Bronny and Caitlin Clark.

Pierce opined that Clark faced criticism for what "she had done" and Bronny faced hatred for "who he is". Speaking on "Undisputed", Pierce explained the attitude of audiences toward Bronny James:

"When he picked up that ball the first time and he went out there and ran up and down the court you know other parents on the other teams gonna say, 'You are not as good as your dad, you are not this, you are not', and that is gonna happen in every tournament."

Paul Pierce was quick to add how Bronny James had learned to deal with the comparisons, the media attention and the unrealistic expectations surrounding him:

"So from that point up until right now where Bronny is, he understands that, he has been through that already. You know what I am saying. So that is why when I watch his interviews and how he speaks, he is mentally prepared for all of this."

LeBron James recently commented that Cailtin Clark will do great things for the WNBA. He said that she faces huge animosity for her collegiate achievements. Some people have argued in the past that Clark gets huge attention because she is white and straight, despite being the leading NCAA Division I scorer of all time.

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LeBron shared that his son too has to face similar animosity. Bronny suffered a cardiac arrest in July but returned to play for the USC Trojans. He averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists last season. He recently participated in the NBA draft combine in Chicago.

LeBron James put up his defense against the hatred his son gets for being the son of a superstar:

“I’m getting the same thing from watching my son, who’s a 19-year-old, kind of getting a lot of animosity and hatred towards him when he’s just a kid trying to live out his dream.”

LeBron James takes the culture of hatred head-on

At the time speculations were rife about Bronny James playing with his father in an NBA team one day, LeBron criticized the culture of animosity. In the latest episode of the "Mind the Game" podcast, LeBron James shared that athletes deserved to be treated as humans first:

“You know, there’s a very small number of men and women that actually get to live out their dream of playing the professional sport. And we have grown-ass men and women out here doing whatever they can to try to make sure that does not happen. That is the weirdest thing in the world, but it is what it is, and I’m glad that Caitlin has a great head on her shoulders.”

Many commented that Bronny James will be drafted in the NBA because of his father despite a "poor" season average. In the podcast, LeBron showered praises for Bronny and said that he was in awe of his son's mindset.

Do you think that the criticism faced by Bronny James and Caitlin Clark is fair? Let us know your thoughts n the comments section below.

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