SUMMARY
- Rich Paul claims Bronny James should experience what it's like to work his way up from the bottom.
- James could get picked by the Lakers, but if they do not then other teams are interested in having him.
Bronny James is slowly closing in on the moment of truth as the 2024 NBA Draft is just around the corner. For the past couple of months, the 19-year-old has been trying his best to impress scouts to draft him. James has impressed quite a few teams including the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns, but wherever he ends up, he is going to have to work his way up the ladder.
Rich Paul recently made an appearance on Gilbert Arena’s podcast to address a few things about James’ attempt to go pro. He wants Bronny to experience what it’s like to work from the trenches to the peak. “Bronny can’t be above the criticism and the opinions of others because this is the world that he’s in. So he shouldn’t get any preferential treatment. He got to go through the journey,” he said.
Paul added, “He chose to you know, aspire to be a professional athlete. So that smoke you have to embrace that right. That’s just part of it and I don’t want anything different from that perspective.” So far, Bronny’s experience is nothing short of the worst criticism to high praise from top-level scouts.
Rich Paul believes teams hold the responsibility over a player’s overall development
When players transition from the collegiate level to the professional environment, there are changes that they need to adapt to. And not every player has the best start either which is what teams are responsible for according to Paul. He said, “When you come in here, my job is to you either leaving here just as good as you did when you came in or better.”
“There’s no way you’re leaving here worse because I’m taking the responsibility… [If] you’re saying I’m this coach and we’re this institution then I have to hold myself accountable as well,” he added. In Bronny James’ case, he’s got the agility, strength, shotmaking ability, and defense. But the only issue is that we’ve not witnessed him be the frontman or the lead in any aspect of the game. Having spent less than a season with the USC Trojans, Bronny only averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.
Bronny James has a few other teams besides the Lakers and Suns that are interested in him
According to league sources, Bronny James rejected working out with at least 10 teams while only showing up at the Lakers and Suns’ practice facilities. However, the CEO of Klutch, who also represents Bronny stated that there are a few more teams that would be interested in buying in on what James has to offer.
— Bronny (@BronnyJamesJr) June 14, 2024
He said, “There are other teams that love Bronny. For example, Minnesota, Dallas, and Toronto.” Paul briefly mentioned that if the Lakers decide to pass over Bronny at No.55 then the Mavericks might possibly acquire him at No.58. He further stated that most of these teams mentioned above have a decent amount of interest in Bronny and that workouts don’t necessarily mean anything.