Succeeding LeBron James would be a daunting task for even the league’s most accomplished players, let alone a 19-year-old college freshman. However, that’s exactly what people expect out of Bronny, LeBron’s eldest son. James Jr. is currently plying his trade for the University of Southern California. But his collegiate career hasn’t panned out as expected, as he’s primarily coming off the bench and recording only 5.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.

Bronny’s underwhelming performances have caused him to drop entirely from ESPN’s 2024 NBA Draft projections. Instead, ESPN now projects him as a second-round pick, specifically at the 39th spot, in the 2025 NBA Draft. Bronny has also garnered negative media coverage because of his subpar displays in recent months. However, some analysts and media personalities have come to the defense of Bron’s big boy. 

In the latest episode of the Come and Talk 2 Me podcast, host Mase defended Bronny and urged him to take inspiration from the likes of Ja Morant and Draymond Green. He said, “You should never let somebody set your expectations for you. Just because somebody think you’re a second-rounder, that doesn’t mean you’re not gonna be a brilliant pro. It’s a few people that came in second-round, Draymond Green.” 

Mase further drew parallels between Bronny and Ja Morant. He said, “I think that he has a lot of upside… He could’ve been Ja Morant. Ja Morant bloomed late. So, take that kind of mindset and work the tail off to preserve the name James.”

Speaking of LeBron James, he has come out and publicly defended his son from the growing criticism.

Bron comes to Bronny’s defense

The spotlight on Bronny has never been brighter than it is now, with skeptics already beginning to discount his potential. Yet, they seem to have overlooked the fact that less than 7 months ago, Bronny suffered a devastating cardiac arrest. The negative coverage surrounding Bronny’s underwhelming displays for USC Trojans has gone to another level in light of ESPN’s latest 2024 Draft projection.

However, LeBron has come out and publicly defended his son. He shared his thoughts through his X: “Can y’all please just let the kid be a kid and enjoy college basketball.”

With one of basketball’s most brilliant minds on his side, Bronny will surely bounce back from this setback. After all, he has already rebounded from an even more severe setback just 7 months ago.

Read More: Traumatized Dennis Rodman’s Son Ran Out in Fear After Bronny James’ Sudden Cardiac Arrest