LeBron James next to and couldn't help but glance over at him to take in the moment. The duo wore matching Los Angeles Lakers jerseys with 鈥淛ames鈥� and 鈥淛ames Jr.鈥� embroidered in big purple letters on their backs.
鈥淚t was like the matrix or something,鈥� LeBron said afterward. 鈥淚t just didn鈥檛 feel real.鈥�
The Lakers helped the 39-year-old James realize a yearslong dream of playing alongside his son when they drafted Bronny with in June, making way for them to become first father-son pair to play in an NBA game together in a preseason matchup on Oct. 6.
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka the draft pick as 鈥渕agical," while his organization has drawn criticisms about whether Bronny would have earned the opportunity if his father wasn't one of the game's greatest players. Those objections 鈥� albeit met with widespread excitement for the James family 鈥� reignited conversations about nepotism in sports and how powerful figures leverage their influence, while underscoring the stigma around kids following in the footsteps of a successful parent or family member.
鈥淭here鈥檚 always going to be people who are saying that things are nepotism,鈥� said Alice Leppert, an associate professor of media and communication studies at Ursinus College in Pennsylvania. 鈥淭here鈥檚 going to be some cynical assumption that strings were pulled and basically that things are not fair.鈥�
That's often based on people's desire to believe in a meritocracy, Leppert said, referring to the system where someone gains status or rewards based on his or her abilities, not wealth or social status.
鈥淚n general, we don鈥檛 live in a meritocracy,鈥� Leppert added. 鈥淲e want to live in a meritocracy, and that鈥檚 why we get these sorts of debates.鈥�
For centuries, children born into rich and powerful families have inherited businesses, stardom and endless resources for success 鈥� a conspicuous display of power in Hollywood, politics and sports.
Critics of nepotism argue that those without the same access to resources 鈥� i.e. producers and directors in the entertainment industry, scouts and training facilities in sports 鈥� are left at a significant disadvantage when it comes to opportunities.
Others question why a practice so ingrained in society is being even being mentioned.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to hear these charges, people talking about nepotism," former ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski said during the NBA draft. 鈥淭he NBA is full of nepotism. The ownership level, front offices, coaching. I don鈥檛 want to hear it all of a sudden because Bronny James鈥� father plays for the Lakers. It is rampant in this league.鈥�
There have been about 100 instances in NBA history of players joining the league after their fathers played. Those young men stepped into the league after the father's career ended, but they include Stephen and Dell Curry, Kobe and Joe 鈥淛ellybean鈥� Bryant, Bill and Luke Walton, among others.
Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. played together with the Seattle Mariners during parts of the 1990 and 1991 MLB seasons. Hockey great Gordie Howe played with sons Marty and Mark for the Houston Aeros in the WHA and the New England/Hartford Whalers in the WHA and NHL.
In the 65 schools that compete in major college football, there are at least 25 instances of family members on the same coaching staff, according to an Associated Press in 2022. In the NFL, 16 of the league鈥檚 32 owners inherited their teams from family, per a study done by USA Today.
鈥淚 think we鈥檙e resigned in this country to the fact that if you own it, you can do whatever you want with it,鈥� said David Grenardo, a law professor and sports law expert at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. 鈥淪o I鈥檓 the owner. I can pass it down to my kids ... And that鈥檚 somewhat acceptable because that person has the right to do with their property what they want.鈥�
That acceptance changes when it comes to athletes, Grenardo said.
"That is where we are completely uncomfortable with the idea of someone getting an opportunity that they did not deserve," he said, noting the intrigue of watching the best compete against the best in sports.
鈥淪o then when you have a situation where someone who may not be perceived as the best is getting an opportunity over someone else, and now it鈥檚 not a meritocracy, now it鈥檚 become political, now it becomes, 鈥榳ell whose kid is that?鈥欌�� Grenardo said.
That's where nepotism conversations have sprouted around Bronny, whose critics have argued that he was unproven before being drafted and has earned more attention than almost any other late second-round pick in NBA history.
After recovering from , Bronny played one season at Southern California before entering the draft. He has been praised for his athleticism, definsive ability and work ethic but averaged 4.8 points and 2.8 rebounds while starting six of 25 games for the Trojans.
鈥淧art of this discourse with LeBron and his son Bronny is that he is a visible African American athlete,鈥� said C. Keith Harrison, a professor specializing in sports and business management at the University of Central Florida. 鈥淎nd for some reason it鈥檚 being perceived that he鈥檚 not going to leverage any power and privileges that he has as an American, as an American Black man, as a successful athlete, entrepreneur or business person.鈥�
Harrison pointed to plenty of examples of sports figures exercising their influence through nepotism: the Buss family's ownership of the Lakers; the Harbaugh family, which has an extensive football coaching lineage.
鈥淚f we have these monikers, or these approaches and these realities of nepotism, and people hiring who they are comfortable with ... when it comes to (LeBron) and his son Bronny, why is this popping up?鈥� Harrison said.
Grenardo, separately, reached his own conclusion.
鈥淪ome of it may very well just be race,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat here鈥檚 a Black man who鈥檚 one of the few Black billionaires and that鈥檚 an American. And he is using his power like others have used their power as well, but 鈥業 don鈥檛 like it that he now is that powerful.鈥欌��
___
AP NBA:
Alanis Thames, The Associated Press
