It seems the Warriors did their Southern California rivals a favor during the 2024 NBA Draft.
With the 52nd pick, just three spots ahead of the Lakers’ final selection, the Warriors had the opportunity to draft LeBron James’ son, Bronny James. However, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy and his team decided to pass on the 19-year-old guard out of respect for LeBron’s wishes, according to a report from ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.
The Warriors reportedly liked Bronny’s skill set and had him on their draft board, but instead chose to draft 7-foot center Quinten Post. This decision allowed the Lakers to make history by selecting Bronny with their pick, marking the first time a father and son will play in the NBA at the same time.
Lakers star Anthony Davis spoke about the significance of the moment for LeBron, saying, “It means the world to him. No one has ever had the chance to play with their son in the league, so it’s a different level of joy and appreciation.”
Bronny enters the NBA after a challenging freshman year at USC. In July 2023, he suffered a cardiac arrest during practice, later attributed to a congenital heart defect. Despite the setback, he went on to play 25 games, averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 19.4 minutes per game. While his shooting percentages—36.6% from the field, 26.7% from beyond the arc, and 67.6% from the free-throw line—leave room for improvement, the excitement of seeing the James duo on the court together during the 2024-25 season will be unforgettable, with a nod to the Warriors for helping make it happen.
Programming note: Watch “Warriors Now” with Monte Poole and Dalton Johnson at 5 p.m. PT Friday, live from training camp in Hawaii, streaming live on the NBC Sports app. Watch the show later on YouTube and Facebook.