Austin Rivers Shares Unique Perspective Explaining Why Bronny James Shouldn't Play On NBA Team With LeBron
LeBron James has mentioned on multiple occasions that before he retires he would like to team up with his firstborn son, Bronny. That opportunity could be a reality in the very near future with Bronny potentially declaring for the NBA Draft at the conclusion of his freshman season at USC. While a storyline of LeBron teaming up with his son would be incredibly intriguing for hoops fans, Austin Rivers doesn't think that it would be a wise move for the younger James.
Rivers doesn't have experience playing with his father in the NBA, but does have a unique perspective on the hypothetical, given that he played under his dad, Doc Rivers, during his run with the Los Angeles Clippers.
From the moment the Rivers duo became a thing in Los Angeles, Austin was immediately scrutinized for just about everything he did on the court. While Austin Rivers never lived up to his expectations as a 10th overall draft pick, he wasn't a complete bum in the NBA either.
It's unlikely that Bronny will be a lottery pick, but given his last name, he'll be monitored and criticized as if he's the top prospect in the game. Rivers doesn't want to see him treated in a similar way he was during his time in LA.
"I hope it doesn’t happen," Rivers said. "I don't want to see Bronny play with his dad, I really don’t. I went through something similar…A lot of people start to discredit everything you’ve done," Rivers said on ESPN.
"Him going and playing with his dad—at this point in his career, just because Bronny's success is not at a top-tier level—him getting drafted and playing with his dad, I don't want that negativity to come his way. Because he doesn't deserve it," Rivers said. "I hope that he’s able to play somewhere where he can niche out his own identity."
Obviously, Bronny could team up with his dad for a season or two and the pair could lead a team to a championship and immediately become one of the great stories in sports history. Bronny could have an entirely different experience playing with his father than Rivers did playing under his dad, but that shouldn't diminish anything Rivers said.
Rivers makes a valid point in the fact that if Team James does become a reality, Bronny will be scrutinized more than any player has in recent history, even if he's simply a role player.