Bronny James, son of LeBron James, was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers as the fifty-fifth overall pick (second round) in the 2024 NBA draft. The question on everyone’s mind remains: Will Bronny be able to replace his father and become the new “king” of the NBA?

Bronny’s career began early, in Junior year of high school. He played 43 minutes, scored 25 points, chased down 6 rebounds, and got 9 assists when he was only 18 . LeBron was averaging 21 points and 6.2 rebounds for his junior year when he was playing for St. Vincent-St. Mary.

Bronny continued, attending the University of Southern California for one season and was ready for the NBA draft at the age of 19. However, his statistics were not great. He averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. During the Los Angeles Lakers’ game against the Minnesota Timberwolves for their preseason opening on October 4, Bronny scored 2 points, 1 assist, and 1 rebound in 16 minutes. Many fans were excited to see Bronny’s performance in the Lakers’ first regular season game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 22. For fans, this game helped determine if Bronny had the potential to surpass his father or not.

So, can Bronny really surpass his father and join the ‘Greatest of All Time’ debate? He is not strong or tall enough to be a forward, is not good enough to make plays like Chris Paul, nor does he shoot like Stephen Curry. However, this does not mean he cannot be a star in the future. Since he was drafted quite recently, there is still time for him to work on becoming a star in the NBA. On the other hand, Bronny’s little brother, Bryce James, is attending his senior year in Sierra Canyon High School, and is eligible to be drafted in 2026. The only question left is if LeBron James will re-sign his contract and play with both of his sons.