WHEN BRONNY JAMES makes his debut with the Los Angeles Lakers at the start of the season, his jersey will bear the name “James Jr.”—that’s because he will be joined on the court by his father, NBA GOAT LeBron James. This marks the first time in NBA history that a father and son have ever shared a roster, sparking an inevitable wave of “nepo baby” discourse. But even though Bronny, 20, has a famous name, he makes it clear in his November/December Men’s Health cover story that he’s determined to make one for himself.
“He only tries to be himself. He never leads with this idea of being LeBron James’s son,” explains Rich Paul, Bronny’s agent and a longtime friend of the family. “Everyone wanted him to blossom on his own time and see how much he really cared and really wanted it. He took that opportunity head-on.”
And when it comes to playing alongside his father, Bronny is keeping a level head. “I expect him to approach things the right way,” says Paul. “I don’t have any stat line or any average. Build your foundation well. Then decide what kind of house is built atop that foundation. Whatever house he builds, it will be authentic to him.”
As a kid watching his dad play, Bronny says he “didn’t really understand” the level of scrutiny that LeBron was under, but that he’s gained insight into it now as he embarks on his inaugural NBA season. “I wasn’t really paying attention to everything, so it was a surprise to me, but not really, because I knew it was happening, but I didn’t know it was going to flood over me like that,” he explains.
Growing up, Bronny had his own heroes in the sport other than his dad—Jamal Crawford, Carmelo Anthony, and Gilbert Arenas, to name a few—but he also learned plenty of lessons from watching LeBron’s career about how to conduct himself both on and off the court.
“He’s seen professionalism from his dad,” says Paul. “It’s not just moves and on-court things; it’s habits. Bronny getting to see someone who is disciplined and detailed.” Those habits, according to Bronny, include carrying a gallon of water, doing his breathwork exercise, and keeping up with his cardio.
“It has been so cool seeing Dad locked in for so long,” he says. “It helps me to go in there and lock in and not waste any time, because you never know, especially with me.”
And while he doesn’t know if he’ll have the same kind of career longevity as his dad (he’s learning to live with a congenital heart issue after suffering a cardiac arrest last year), Bronny knows who to look to for motivation to play as well as he can for as long as possible.
“I be sore right now,” he jokes. “I don’t know how my dad does all of that for so long and he isn’t sore all the time?”
