When ESPN released its most recent NBA mock draft on Monday, it appeared to upset one LeBron James.
Although Bronny James was projected to be selected in the 2025 NBA Draft, he was left off of the most recent mock draft list, which had him listed as a second-round pick in the past.
Social media users expressed a wide range of emotions in response to the projections, with some pleading for Bronny to return to USC for his sophomore year in order to polish his skills and others coming to the conclusion that the 19-year-old is just not cut out for the NBA.
James made the decision to voice his opinions on the contentious issue via X in two since-deleted posts.
“Can yall please just let the kid be a kid and enjoy college basketball,” James wrote. via Sports Illustrated. “The work and results will ultimately do the talking no matter what he decides to do. If y’all don’t know he doesn’t care what a mock draft says, he just WORKS! Earned Not Given!
“And to all the other kids out there striving to be great just keep your head down, blinders on and keep grinding. These Mock Drafts doesn’t matter one bit! I promise you! Only the WORK MATTERS!! Let’s talk REAL BASKETBALL PEOPLE! “
“We don’t want to force anything,” Perkins told ESPN’s “NBA Today” on Monday. “We don’t want to force this young man’s livelihood or development so he can go pair up with LeBron… or whatever narrative we’re trying to push. Let the young man breathe.”
To be fair to the media, James himself promoted the “narrative” that he and Bronny played together in the NBA when he announced his plan to play alongside his son before ending his professional career.
After the Lakers’ defeat to the Grizzlies in January, James was even reported to have said that Bronny “could play for us right now,” according to multiple media sources.
Therefore, James—rather than the media—has probably done more to increase the pressure on Bronny.