LeBron James took a blindside hit from former Bulls guard Ron Harper. His two sons, Dylan and Ron Harper Jr. shared an incredible moment during the Rising Stars Game. However, the moment shifted when their father suggested he didn’t push his kids into basketball the way LeBron James allegedly did with Bronny.
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It caused an uproar since it’s well documented that the Akron Hammer has openly stated he would want his kids to do whatever they desire. That’s what caught Shannon Sharpe’s attention. The NFL Hall of Famer questioned why Harper brought LeBron into a conversation about his own kids.
“They asked you about your kids and you’ve taken it to LeBron. I mean, somebody ask Ocho, “Hey, Ocho, you thought your kids will play?” Well, you know, hey, my kid he ain’t like Jerry. You know, Jerry, right? You know, Jerry make his kid. Ain’t nobody ask you about Jerry. They asked you about your kids, not somebody else’s kids,” Sharpe said on Nightcap.
Shannon sharpe tells Ron harper why is LeBron James on your mind. The reporter asked about your kids , you don’t see dell curry speaking about other peoples kids he only talks about Steph curry pic.twitter.com/ePvrUzyPV9
— joebuddenclips/fanpage (@chatnigga101) February 16, 2026
Sharpe then pointed to another NBA family. Dell Curry never talked about other players’ kids when discussing Seth and Stephen Curry. That approach kept the spotlight on his sons instead of creating controversy. In the end, they found their calling on the hardwood. Both carved out strong NBA careers, with Stephen Curry even surpassing his father’s legacy.
While Harper said he gave his sons freedom, the comment shifted attention away from their moment and toward an unprovoked jab at James.
Bronny James has long pushed back on that narrative
Sharpe’s defense also reflects a point Bronny himself has repeated for years.
As the son of an NBA icon, Bronny has always faced unique scrutiny. He hasn’t evaluated the same as other second-round picks. People hold expectations that resonate with what LeBron James has achieved in his distinguished, one-of-a-kind career. But he has consistently said he’s focused only on his own path.
He has repeatedly insisted basketball was his decision, not his father’s.
“I always want to end up where I’m happy the most. [My] mom always told me to take me where my heart wants me to be and I’ve just found happiness in what I’m doing right now I feel like that’s where I want myself to be at,” he told reporters before the draft.
That meant choosing development over shortcuts despite his last name. The second-round pick has moved between the G League and NBA while developing his game. Bronny James knows that influence won’t get him stability in the NBA. And he’s putting in the work every day to improve.
Ultimately, Bronny can’t control public narratives, only his performance. And that’s exactly what he continues to focus on.