“LeBron is extremely adventurous. He will try anything…. He likes to be versatile, he likes to change it up,” said the NBA star’s then stylist Rachel Johnson during an interview with ‘Complex’ back in 2013. Over the years, LeBron James has kept proving that his interest in fashion is not lower than that of his counterparts like Russell Westbrook and James Harden. From throwback jerseys to collaborations with major designers, the 4x NBA champion has done it all. Therefore, it made sense that the interest in fashion would also be passed down to his children, especially his eldest son, Bronny. However, has his fashion sense evolved enough that he is right to choose another Lakers teammate’s clothing choices over his father’s?

The official Instagram account of ‘Overtime’ and ‘Overtime Kicks’ recently put out a post. It featured Bronny describing his clothing, highlighting everything from the oversized hoodie to his jeans. According to him, his style was all about being comfortable and looking good in the process. When the Q&A session shifted to him being asked about naming some of the most stylish individuals he knows, Bronny said “My boy Vandal”, which was an obvious reference to Jarred Vanderbilt. Acceptable answer, but still a snub on his father. Yikes!

In defense of Bronny James, Jarred Vanderbilt does often pull off some impressive looks through which he even overshadows the 4x NBA champion. Back in May, even when he couldn’t play while recovering from a year of foot injuries and a knee setback, he was still showing up to the games in style. During a Lakers-Rockets matchup, the player dressed up in all black, except for white sneakers and silver chains hanging from his neck. He had sported a zip-up hoodie over a dark gray T-shirt, while a Chrome Hearts lanyard dangled from his right hip, and a baseball cap was placed on backwards. He also carried a red purse-like bag in his left hand.

That wasn’t even the best look Vanderbilt pulled off. His tunnel walks became a thing to look out for over the season. The secondary power forward once arrived at a game donning a white tank top while his hat and tracks were all pink! On another occasion, he came in wearing a printed polyester shirt with bright yellow track pants and a hat embroidered with patterns. Being an avid fan of luxury labels like Louis Vuitton, Marni, and Rick Owens, Lakers fans have more than often seen him mix them up to create something unique that had them talking about the player in regards to something else other than his performance.

For Vanderbilt, his time in the NBA has taught him that style plays an important role in the league. As he explained, “The tunnel walk has been a thing, but over the past couple years it’s really been a pivotal part. People are invested in what guys are wearing before the game, and it’s been beneficial to both sides, because a lot of sponsors and brands have been trying to connect and work with athletes because they know what the tunnel brings [as a platform].” Vanderbilt realized that the NBA court is not the only place to shine, and that information is paying off well.

Well, Vanderbilt might have surpassed LeBron James at least in Bronny’s mind. However, it is still nice to know that the Lakers have not only the father-son duo but also another star interested in fashion. Furthermore, it doesn’t matter if Bronny chooses to place Vanderbilt over LeBron in a single Q&A session, as long as he continues finding other fashion ways to pay tribute to the 40-year-old.

Bronny James donned LeBron’s ‘Debut’ shoes during a layoff appearance

Game 1 between the Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves wasn’t a big deal for LeBron James. After all, it marked his 288th appearance in a playoff game. Therefore, he is used to it at this point. However, it was Bronny James’ first playoff game. Also, the first time a father-son duo ever played together in the same postseason game. Overall, it wasn’t a good night. LeBron scored only 19 points, which was way below his regular-season average. Bronny played only 3 minutes and went 0-2 from the floor in 3-pointers, and the Lakers lost 115-96. Despite that, Bronny was still able to win over some fans through his sneaker tribute.

Around two months ago, the official Instagram account of Overtime Kicks highlighted a post. It showed Bronny James wearing the “Debut” Nike Air Zoom Generations for his first playoff game. LeBron fans might remember that those were the same signature shoes first released under the NBA legend’s name, by Nike, back in 2003. It was the creation of the process that took place when Nike first wanted to fast-track the design process of creating LeBron’s signature shoe, who was then still in the middle of his senior season at SVSM.

Now, decades later, other shoes in LeBron’s line were released year after year, but the OGs are tough to beat. Therefore, Bronny donned them and rocked them on the court for the brief period he was on it.

Knowing LeBron’s competitive nature, he might not take his son choosing Jarred Vanderbilt over him lightly. Just like Chander in that one episode where Monica met ‘the funniest guy’, he will be on a mission to prove himself when the next season comes.