"Nepotism at its worst": LeBron James' praise for son Bronny James sparks backlash as fans accuse him of "forcing nepotism"

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Mar 29, 2025, 03:30 IST

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LeBron James expressed pride in his son Bronny James' achievements in the NBA. However, fans criticized him, stating it was nepotism and that Bronny does not belong in the NBA. The criticism heightened after LeBron was seen cheering his son while he was injured. The controversy has also affected NBA ratings.

"Nepotism at its worst": LeBron James' praise for son Bronny James sparks backlash as fans accuse him of "forcing nepotism"

Image via Al Bello/Getty

LeBron James, the NBA star, has made a name for himself in the world of sports. Now, LeBron James’ son, Bronny James, is making all the noise in the NBA world. Recently, the NBA star, LeBron James appeared on the Pat McAfee Show and shared a heartfelt sentiment around his son playing in the NBA. But this has not gone down too well with his fans.

LeBron James appreciates his son, Bronny James, but fans are furious at his words

LeBron James spoke about his son Bronny James’ achievements on the show and said, "For me as a dad, it doesn't matter if he never scores...I'm just super proud of him period as a young man”.

He added, "As a mentor and as a teammate of his, that wants to see him thrive because I've seen the work that he puts into the game, I'm super proud of his development to where he is now.”

While Pat McAfee understood LeBron James’ sentiment, his fans dont agree with him.
A fan commented, “no one can convince me he didn't play a huge role in the Lakers drafting him”, while another fan wrote, “LeBron is proud he strong armed the Lakers into drafting the worst player in NBA history. Bronny is a joke, the entire world is laughing at him.”

A third fan wrote, “Doesn’t matter if he never scores, but it matters that he’s on a team where he doesn’t belong so it can stroke my ego!”
Another user commented, “Every father is proud of his son but that doesn’t mean they get the honor of playing in the NBA. It’s Nepotism at its worst, also why NBA ratings are in the dumps. It’s a joke of a league and it’s all thanks to LeBron.”
A few days ago, while LeBron James was out due to an injury, his son, Bronny James scored 17 points at a match between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks. The NBA star, LeBron James, was further criticised when he was spotted cheering on for his son even though he claimed to be injured.
Also Read: "Excuses pouring in": LeBron James’ injury controversy heats up following Lakers' loss to Bulls

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TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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