Bronny James finds support from ‘Uncle Shaq’ amid nepotism backlash; NBA rookie bounces back with victory bells

Los Angeles Lakers rookie guard Bronny James finally walked out of his father’s legendary shadow to leap forward for much-needed relief with a 17-foot pull-up jumper at the Thomas & Mack Centre on Wednesday. Following his incessant Summer League struggles, the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft helped bolster his team’s first victory, beating the Atlanta Hawks 87-86.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 17: Bronny James Jr. #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers scores on a three-point shot against the Atlanta Hawks in the first half of a 2024 NBA Summer League game at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 17, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Lakers defeated the Hawks 87-86. (Getty Images via AFP / Candice Ward)

Pulling up to the basketball court with his best game yet, the younger James finished with 12 points. He not only helped push for his team’s first victory for the summer but also scored his first-ever NBA win.

Playing on the same as his father, LeBron James, the 19-year-old NBA rookie was put under the microscope as the crushing weight of attention treated him to severe backlash over nepotism claims and whatnot. With larger-than-life expectations raining down on his parade, the younger James hasn’t had it easy this summer, with the crowd signalling its disappointment at his every move.

Bronny James silences critics on the basketball court

With all the pressure on his shoulders, James admitted to the crowd’s impact on him. “It’s something… but it’s something I’ve got to deal with if I’m going to play at this level,” he said in a post-game interview.

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As reported by ESPN, the 19-year-old James also embraced his parents’ constant supportive stance. “My mom, my dad really help me, encouraging me to stay focussed and keep being myself. So I feel like that’s a big part of how I came out [tonight].”

Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal shows Bronny support

It’s no news that Bronny was initially buried under social media hate for the underwhelming opening games of his NBA career. In the face of all the criticism targeting him, he found immensely heartfelt support from Hall of Famer legend Shaquille O’Neal.

Regardless of how one sees it, the crowd has been excessively badgering the young player, but O’Neal had his back as he passed on sound advice on Wednesday. “Keep playing hard, Bronny. Uncle Shaq loves you,” TMZ Sports reported his message.

The Lakers legend is avidly familiar with the hardships Bronny is being subjected to at the hands of the viewers since his own son, Shareef, also walked down a similar path to pursuing pro basketball like his father.

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Bronny and LeBron James’ agent also turns up in support

Rich Paul, CEO of Klutch Sports, said that all rookies of the game “are in development.” As an agent for both the James players, he added, “Bronny is no different. He doesn’t get to be excluded from having to develop. Obviously, I know he wants to make shots and he will make shots, but again, it’s just about building great habits. I think the opportunity for Bronny to play at the league level would be on a defensive end, and that’s something that he’s really good at now.”

Paul even emphasised that Bronny will get better since he “is a passion player.”

“He’s playing a game of basketball because it’s his passion. And so I don’t look at summer league as the end all be all, whether he was averaging 30 [points] or whether he was averaging 3.”