Basketball Analyst Reignites Debate on Bronny James with Strong Lakers Critique

Former USC Trojans guard Bronny James Has encountered backlash since getting picked in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft. The Los Angeles Lakers chose James as the 55th overall pick to join forces with his dad, NBA legend LeBron James.

Doug Gottlieb, who coaches at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and commentates for Fox Sports Radio, was a guest on The Dan Patrick Show. During the show, he talked about how the negative atmosphere around the ex-USC Trojan athlete isn’t primarily due to himself, but rather attributed to his dad.

This has been quite a sideshow," Gottlieb stated. "LeBron has traveled across the nation criticizing Stephen A. Smith and tweeting at me without cause, simply because all I've ever done is speak my mind.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith and the Lakers player had been exchanging barbs for a while after Smith made remarks about the new rookie guard.

Gottlieb consistently shared criticisms about the USC rookie on social platforms, and the Lakers player hasn’t taken kindly to his child’s critiques. In response, he turned to social media to mock Gottlieb’s squad for finishing with a 3-24 record during Gottlieb's inaugural season as head coach.

“I apologize, but I watched your son compete in the Mission League, and he didn’t make it into the top 10 high school players there,” Gottlieb went on to say. “Despite being part of the nation’s finest high school league, he just didn’t quite measure up.”

I never mentioned that he smells or that he can't play. I also did not say he can't play for Green Bay. It’s just that the assessment was entirely incorrect.

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The primary critique aimed at James is that he secured his position in the league due to his father’s influence. Despite this, the Lakers’ superstar actively expressed his desire to share the court with his son, making them the first parent-child pair to do so professionally.

“Nobody was competing for him as a second-round selection,” Gottlieb mentioned. JJ Redick What are we even discussing when he claims he deserved everything?

Gottlieb highlighted that if James turns into a formidable player and keeps progressing, it would be an excellent outcome for the newcomer. According to Gottlieb, the concern lies in how James’ father is handling the criticisms directed at him.

"So once more, if he becomes an NBA player, fantastic. If this route leads him down an unexpected career path, even better. However, don't mislead us only to criticize us for providing genuine basketball opinions. I don't believe I was being personal about it, and yet he quoted my tweet," Gottlieb stated.

James divided his freshman year between the NBA and theصند G League With the South Bay Lakers, James performed impressively and began every match he participated in within the G League. Due to injuries affecting the main Lakers team, James found himself spending significant time with Los Angeles during the latter portion of the season.

While playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, James has been clocking an average of 6.7 minutes with 2.3 points per game. Additionally, he contributes about 0.7 rebounds and 0.8 assists each contest. As the team pushes toward the playoffs, his time on the floor has significantly decreased; however, he remains dedicated to improving as a player through rigorous training sessions.

The Los Angeles Lakers fell short in Game 3 against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday evening, putting them behind 1-2 in the series. Their subsequent game is set for April 27 at 12:30 p.m. PT, taking place at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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The article was initially posted on www.si.com/college/usc as Basketball Analyst Reiterates Criticism of Los Angeles Lakers' Bronny James .