LeBron James shows love for ex-Lakers star despite Bronny James’ approval

The Los Angeles Lakers made one of the most polarizing moves of the 2024 NBA Draft on Thursday night. The Lakers selected former USC basketball guard Bronny James with the 55th pick. James’ upcoming professional debut has countless fans and athletes excited. One of those athletes is former Lakers guard Nick Van Exel. LeBron James showed his affection for Van Excel after praising Bronny James at the draft.

Van Xcel wrote an exciting two-word message after Los Angeles signed James:

“Let’s go,” shouted Van Excel on X.

This of course triggered a friendly response from LeBron James:

“That’s so harsh!! Nick the Quick was cold!” James replied.

Nick Van Exel played 13 years in the NBA, the first five of which were with the Lakers. Van Exel received two important awards with Los Angeles. He made the All-Rookie Team in 1993-94 and made his first and only All-Star appearance with the Lakers in 1997-98. The 6’1″ guard finished his NBA career with averages of 14.4 points and 6.6 assists.

LeBron James was thrilled when Nick Van Excel supported his son Bronny. But no one was more excited than LeBron James himself. The day before the Lakers signed Bronny, he wrote him and his brother Bryce a touching message.

“There is no better feeling in the world than being here raising my boys to be MEN! Pops here gets emotional as hell just thinking about your journey so far! Thank you both for allowing me to be your DAD and be a part of your compass through the ups and downs of life!” James wrote on Instagram, adding a series of adorable emojis.

It will be interesting to see how Bronny and Byrce James continue their impressive efforts.

Bronny James opens a new chapter with the Lakers

Los Angeles hopes to rebound from their first-round playoff exit in 2024. Bronny James may not contribute to the team’s rise immediately, but over time he will likely have a major impact.

James averaged just 4.9 points and 0.8 steals in his freshman season at USC. His numbers were a contract for his performance in high school. In his senior year at Sierra Canyon, James averaged 13.8 points and 1.8 steals. His stats don’t tell the whole story, though.

In July 2023, James suffered a cardiac arrest during a basketball practice at USC. Fortunately, he made a full recovery and returned to the court, but his rhythm was understandably not the same. Despite James’ poor freshman season, he impressed scouts at the NBA Combine with his vertical jump performances and agility in the pro lane. In addition, he boosted the perception of his offensive abilities by scoring 13 points in his second practice game and performing well in shooting drills.

Los Angeles believes Bronny James will have a bright NBA future. In the meantime, LeBron James will have things under control. James is coming off an impressive 2023-24 season. In 71 games, the star forward averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals. In addition, he shot a career-high 41.0 percent on three-pointers. James and the rest of Los Angeles will look to continue his all-around performance to help the Lakers perform better in the 2024-25 season.