It seems to be a criminal offense to be the child of a well-established sports star. The basic “You’re here because of your father”, followed by accusations and names like ‘nepo baby, ‘ is a common scene too. Spotlight never leaves them alone. Criticism befriends them. And a poor rookie season stat means insane scrutiny; just ask Bronny James. Who else, if not him, would know what it feels like to be LeBron’s firstborn in the NBA?

The 55th pick of the 2024 NBA Draft isn’t the only one who’s been on the radar. NFL legend Deion Sanders’ QB son, Shedeur Sanders, reportedly entered the 2025 NFL Draft conversation as the No.1 prospect. However, he ended up being the 144th pick by the Cleveland Browns. This episode triggered a series of Bronny-Shedeur comparisons and, of course, criticisms of these young guns.

Kiyan Anthony supports Bronny James as his mental state comes to light

Now, as Dylan Harper steps into the NBA as the 2nd pick of the 2025 Draft, he carries with him the lessons learned from witnessing the hard work of James Jr. and Sanders Jr. Recently, Harper appeared on 7 PM in Brooklyn, Carmelo Anthony’s podcast, alongside Melo’s 18-year-old son, Kiyan Anthony. During the episode, co-host Kazeem Famuyide shifted the focus to Kiyan with a thoughtful question. Specifically, he asked Kiyan to reflect on Bronny James’ experience with public scrutiny, considering their personal connection and what it felt like to watch someone close to him face that pressure.

Anthony Jr. explained: “I feel like as soon as whoever’s talking tries to connect the two, that’s when it gets messed up because it’s a new generation—two totally different people, even though that might be your kid. Y’all are both going through different things.” And about Bronny?

“I kind of felt bad for him because that’s my guy. So, just seeing, he doesn’t speak a lot. He’s not going to go on the internet and say what he has to say. But deep down, behind closed doors, he probably was going through it,” Kiyan said. Meanwhile, he added, “You’re seeing this every day. You’re on social media. You can’t even scroll twice without seeing a post with your name on it. So it’s like—yeah. And he probably talks to his pops about it, but at the end of the day, he’s nice, that boy.”

He further added, “People are trying to say he’s not good or he’s just there for his pops. I think he’s really nice, and I think he really has a chance to prosper in the NBA. But they’re trying to get to him for him to get it in his first year.” In his rookie season, Bronny James

Kiyan Anthony empathized with Bronny James, calling the criticism unfair for a young player still finding his footing. He pointed out that it often takes a few years for rookies to adjust, settle in, and truly showcase their game. Bronny, who averaged just 2.3 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.3 assists on 31.3% shooting in his debut season, has become a target for skepticism. Yet Kiyan believes Bronny has real potential and just needs time to grow into his own path in the NBA.

At the same time, Bronny and Shedeur’s experiences have turned out to be a major inspiration for younger ones to be like them. You leave, but you come back, interesting.

James Jr.’s rookie season becomes an inspiration for Dylan Harper

Over the past two years, the spotlight hasn’t just hit the sons—it’s dragged their fathers into frame too. From Bronny James with the Lakers to Shedeur Sanders in the NFL, legacy kids are catching heat just for having present, proud dads. Somehow, confidence gets mistaken for cockiness, and fame becomes fuel for scrutiny. Yet through NIL noise, campus chatter, and unfair comparisons, these young stars keep showing up. It’s a generational shift, loud and unfiltered. While the world links them to their last name, these sons are quietly making their own.

Now, Rutgers’ prodigy, Dylan Harper, who comes off fresh as the 2nd pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, shared his thoughts. The 19-year-old said, “Just learning, I think. Learn how to carry yourself, go about certain things. By the end of the day, everyone’s their own person. So Bronny—he ain’t the most out-loud spoken guy. Shedeur—very quiet, but he still gets the same backlash that Bronny gets.”

He also mentioned, “So at the end of the day, you’re still going to get the backlash no matter what you do, whether it’s right, wrong, or anything else. Just having that mindset that we’re the next generation of these superstar kids, and there’s always going to be a spotlight on us no matter what; just going with that mindset. Just being you, honestly; just being me.”

Being born into greatness isn’t a shortcut—it’s a spotlight with no off switch. From Bronny to Shedeur to Harper, the new-gen stars aren’t asking for favors—they’re earning every inch. While the noise gets louder, their focus gets sharper. And as they carve out names beyond their last names, one truth stands tall—pressure builds diamonds, not doubts.