It’s unheard of for arguably the biggest story coming out of an NBA Draft to be a player picked near the end of the second round, but the Los Angeles Lakers decision to draft Bronny James, No. 55 overall, is still sparking heated debate among media and fans.
Many state the obvious: James, a non-factor in his only season at USC, likely would have gone undrafted if not for his father, Lakers star LeBron James. Some sports media personalities have weighed in with borderline ridiculous takes: Fox Sports Radio host Rob Parker said this week, “I think this is the worst decision that has ever happened in professional sports.”
Others find the prospect of Bronny joining his father, possibly setting up the first father-son duo to play together in the NBA, a great story.
Matt Barnes fits squarely in that category. The former NBA player, now known for his All The Smoke podcast, appeared on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz Wednesday and explained why he thinks Bronny-to-LA is a very good thing … and why many fans will be “taking shots and disrespecting him.”
“I don’t care what anyone says about how he got there and what’s going on; I love the fact that he’s there and is getting an opportunity to play with his dad,” Barnes said. “I think he’s going to have an opportunity to continue to develop each year, and you know, around Year 3, Year 4, I think he’s going to be a really solid contributor …”
But Barnes knows plenty of fans will be ready to pounce if James doesn’t pan out.
“Obviously, there’s going to be fans that wrap their arms around him and embrace him, but we all know that being in this game, whether it be the media or the actual sport, the hate is always louder than the love. So I think there’s going to be a lot of people who are going to be taking shots and disrespecting him and his game and his family, and unfortunately … that comes with the territory these days.
“But I think he’ll do a great job, as his dad does, of blocking this out.”
[The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz]
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.