Bronny James Announces Surprising Jersey Number After Being Drafted By Lakers
Bronny James (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
New Los Angeles Laker Bronny James has already settled on his first jersey number as a professional.
One day after the Los Angeles Lakers selected him 55th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, the team announced via X/Twitter that Bronny James will wear No. 9. The second-generation NBA player wore No. 6 at USC, but that digit is occupied by his old man, LeBron James:
Number Nine: Bronny James. pic.twitter.com/I91YjMEXAZ
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) June 28, 2024
Bronny (20 in October) is the eldest child of LeBron and Savannah James. His younger brother, Bryce, plays high school basketball at Sierra Canyon School located in Chatsworth, Los Angeles. Bronny and Bryce have a younger sister, Zhuri.
LeBron (40 in December) and James will be the first-ever father-son duo to play together in the NBA. The elder James previously expressed a desire to play his final season with Bronny, and the Lakers made the dream possible.
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) June 28, 2024
The decision to draft Bronny strongly indicates that LeBron, who can opt out of his contract and test free agency, will return to the Lakers. There aren’t any indicators that The King wants to leave, and passing up the chance to play with Bronny could be next to impossible.
Bronny appeared in 25 games for the Trojans last season, averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per contest while shooting 36.6 percent from the field.
Bronny James Will Get To Chase A Title Right Away
Not only does Bronny get to play with his father (assuming LeBron stays), but he’ll also have the opportunity to immediately compete for a championship.
The Purple and Gold will always have a chance with the James-Anthony Davis duo. But the Lakers should also be highly-motivated to make another big move via trade or free agency to maximize their odds of winning another title with LeBron.
But first thing’s first: The Lakers need to secure that long-term deal with LeBron.
