Steph Curry Reacts to Lakers Drafting Bronny James

The basketball world was electrified on June 27 when the Lakers picked Bronny James, the eldest son of LeBron James, as the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Numerous NBA players and teammates of LeBron reacted on social media. Steph Curry, who has faced LeBron in the NBA Finals four times, shared a picture of a young Bronny sitting on the bench with his father during LeBron’s time with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2010s.

Dwyane Wade, a former teammate of LeBron, called the Lakers drafting Bronny “one of the dopest moments” in NBA history. Wade, a close friend and mentor to Bronny, had previously praised him as “a complete basketball player” in 2021, while commenting on his high school performance at Sierra Canyon.

Additionally, Lakers legend Magic Johnson pointed out that LeBron and Bronny are set to become the first father-son duo to share an NBA locker room. Johnson predicted that Bronny’s participation in the Lakers’ 2024 NBA Summer League, starting on July 6, 2024, would be “must-see” TV.

Lakers Embracing Bronny James

Many of Bronny’s future Lakers teammates were also excited to see the 19-year-old achieve his lifelong dream of playing in the NBA.

Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Christian Wood—three players signed with the Lakers for the 2024-25 season—shared their enthusiasm on social media. Even new Lakers coach JJ Redick was visibly thrilled in the Lakers’ war room moments after the team selected Bronny with the No. 55 pick on June 27.

Lakers front-office head Rob Pelinka mentioned that Redick is eager to develop Bronny’s potential. In a post-draft interview with Spectrum SportsNet, Pelinka said Redick believes Bronny has the potential to become an “elite two-way player” in the NBA.

“Bronny is a young man of high character and extraordinary work ethic,” Pelinka said. “These are foundational traits for building a culture. When you find young players with these qualities, development follows. JJ Redick and his staff are already planning Bronny’s development into an elite two-way player. He’s only 19, so patience is needed, but the foundation is there for him to become an important player for years to come.”

Lakers Continue to Honor History

As one of the most decorated franchises in sports, the Lakers have always been drawn to making history. With this in mind, the Purple & Gold were eager to seize the opportunity to become the first franchise to have a father-son duo on the same roster. After the June 27 NBA Draft, Rob Pelinka discussed the historical significance of drafting Bronny.

“In the history of the NBA, there’s never been a father and a son that have shared an NBA basketball court, and that feels like something magical,” Pelinka told the media. “We know, and have to respect, of course, that LeBron has a decision on his opt-out… but if it worked out that he was on our team next season, NBA history could be made. And NBA history should be made in a Lakers uniform.”

As Pelinka noted, LeBron James had yet to decide on his future with the Lakers as of June 28. However, it was widely expected that he would sign a new contract to conclude his illustrious career with the Lakers franchise.