OT: Bronny James

[Waquoit]

Maybe not, but we also don't feel the need to suck up to LeBron.

 

[TheHorde]

Maybe not, but we also don't feel the need to suck up to LeBron.

I feel like Bronny being around the 60th or 70th best prospect entering college felt about right. Nothing about that ranking screams one and done, unless you absolutely blow up in your first college season. While I empathize with Bronny’s medical issue he had last summer, he most certainly did not have a stellar freshman year. The young man should have stayed in college to develop his game. He’s clearly not ready to get on an NBA court.

 

[nomar]

Maybe not, but we also don't feel the need to suck up to LeBron.

Sam Vecenie cares what LeBron says? Jonathan Givony? Kevin O'Connor (#58)? No. These guys aren't LeBron hagiographers.

If they cared so much about LeBron's feelings, they'd have given Bronny a first-round grade.

As SJ said, some people were pumping Bronny up as a potential top-10 pick before he had his medical issue. Obviously he's not; reality prevailed. He's a talented basketball player with a great blood line. Somebody mentioned Thanasis above. Why did he get picked? Because he shares DNA with Giannis. That's more of a reason for teams to give Bronny a second-round grade than being scared of LeBron.

The bigger point is: who cares? As mentioned above, a lot of guys don't even want to get picked in the 2nd round so they can dictate where they go? This didn't hurt anybody. He's got potential and more support than any rookie in the history of the NBA has ever had.

 

[Waquoit]

Sam Vecenie cares what LeBron says? Jonathan Givony? Kevin O'Connor (#58)? No. These guys aren't LeBron hagiographers.

If they cared so much about LeBron's feelings, they'd have given Bronny a first-round grade.

I dunno, I'm sure most making a living in the NBA are wary of crossing LeBron. You never know what percieved slight will set one of these imperial figures off. And no they wouldn't give him a 1st round grade, they have to show some self-respect to maintain credibility. Coming in just around where the Lakers picked seemed to be the pro move.

 

[runner11]

IMO, it’s about eyeballs. Putting Bronny on a list will draw more of them. I must have listened to every word Sam spoke about the draft this year. He flat out says Bronny is not a real prospect. Many of the draft guys do. He talks about how Bronny articles get the clicks to an absurd agree. So on one level, it is our fault. The whole charade is so cynical. And unless you are actively following these prospects and listening to all the pods and watching the videos, you will have some dumb take like hurr durr why did Bronny get ranked 55th if he wasn’t a real prospect.

 

[REB1094]

I don't think anyone (except media/reporters that want engagement) truly thinks it's necessary to discuss if Bronny was drafted as a legitimate NBA prospect based on his college performance vs. being drafted out of respect to LEBRON JAMES

No point debating it, it's not a surprise or a secret why the Lakers picked Bronny. Is it fair? Probably not. Is it an easily understandable reality? YES!

 

[Waquoit]

Your theory just doesn't check out.

Herring: For several reasons -- his cardiac arrest that shortened his freshman season among them -- it's hard to know where he should have been drafted.

Not sold yet despite the voluminous response. I can't remember when a frosh entering the draft with cardiac arrest issues was ever selected before.

 

[tzznandrew]

Why did he get picked? Because he shares DNA with Giannis

Thanasis is 6'7" and was drafted by the Knicks when Giannis was averaging like 6 ppg. People thought Giannis was probably a steal at 15, but nobody knew who he was. People legitimately thought Thanasis could be a good pro: he averaged double figures in his one year in the D-League (as it was then) and third-team All Defense.

There's never been a one-and-done with his measurables or his health history.

I actually like Bronny. I'm rooting for him. He seems humble. His stats at USC should totally be judged with the context of his health issues. If he were any other player the expectation is he'd go back and prove he could be healthy and perform.

 

[tzznandrew]

 

[nomar]

Not sold yet despite the voluminous response. I can't remember when a frosh entering the draft with cardiac arrest issues was ever selected before.

Yes. Flip side is that it mitigates his unimpressive freshman season.

Guys get noticed and drafted for all kinds of reasons. We know why Bronny got all the attention he received. I’m just saying picking him at 55 isn’t crazy at all. Is anybody saying he has zero shot of eventually becoming a rotation player? No second round picks are guarantees.

So…Meleek Thomas!

 

[nomar]

IMO, it’s about eyeballs. Putting Bronny on a list will draw more of them. I must have listened to every word Sam spoke about the draft this year. He flat out says Bronny is not a real prospect. Many of the draft guys do. He talks about how Bronny articles get the clicks to an absurd agree. So on one level, it is our fault. The whole charade is so cynical. And unless you are actively following these prospects and listening to all the pods and watching the videos, you will have some dumb take like hurr durr why did Bronny get ranked 55th if he wasn’t a real prospect.

Articles about Bronny may draw clicks, but a draft list generates zero additional clicks just by including Bronny at 60 rather than 100. You click on a draft list because you want to see the list. I don’t think I once clicked on one (and I read many) to see where he was listed. Everybody knew the Lakers were picking him.

 

[Palatine]

In Connecticut would the nepotism laws prevent the Lakers from drafting Bronny?

 

[Hunt for 7]

It is not worth the intellectual effort to look to far into the reasons he was picked. This happens in every line of business. No different than Hunt son taking over the Chiefs. Lebron is only a player but by default he is more than that for the team he plays for and the NBA. He is closer to an owner than an employee. In the end Bronny is a 6’1” guard with better than average athleticism. Not many players that size are excelling right now in the nba. There are some, Brunson comes to mind but they are few and far between. Criticizing this move is as close to hypocracy as one can get as anyone who has a son and the power that LeBron does would do whatever they could to help their son reach his dreams and goals.

 

[gsmooth]

It is not worth the intellectual effort to look to far into the reasons he was picked. This happens in every line of business. No different than Hunt son taking over the Chiefs. Lebron is only a player but by default he is more than that for the team he plays for and the NBA. He is closer to an owner than an employee. In the end Bronny is a 6’1” guard with better than average athleticism. Not many players that size are excelling right now in the nba. There are some, Brunson comes to mind but they are few and far between. Criticizing this move is as close to hypocracy as one can get as anyone who has a son and the power that LeBron does would do whatever they could to help their son reach his dreams and goals.

Yes, it's really much ado about nothing.

 

[navery12]

 

[CardiacAndre7]

One of my favorite Onion headlines

 

[Fan1978]

Yes. Flip side is that it mitigates his unimpressive freshman season.

Guys get noticed and drafted for all kinds of reasons. We know why Bronny got all the attention he received. I’m just saying picking him at 55 isn’t crazy at all. Is anybody saying he has zero shot of eventually becoming a rotation player? No second round picks are guarantees.

So…Meleek Thomas!

I think he could have been a solid rotational player at UConn. Other teams could have drafted him and made the Lakers pay ransom, that would have been fun. lakers need a lot so would have been better for team to draft someone better and sign him as free agent. Of course Lebron’s massive ego would never have allowed that. Hopefully Hurley is taking notes

 

[Waquoit]

I didn't start this thread even though my name is on it. I request it be taken down.

 

[temery]

I didn't start this thread even though my name is on it. I request it be taken down.

no. Anyone who participated in hijacking a thread is fair game when the thread is parsed. The best i'll do is lock it.