LeBron James said a part of the reason why his sons Bronny and Bryce have progressed in their basketball careers is because he never babied them or got involved with how they were coached.
During the latest installment of his “Mind the Game” podcast, the Lakers superstar made it clear that he wants anyone who coaches his kids to hold them accountable more than their teammates.
“I’ve never gotten involved with my kids’ coaches,” James, 40, said. “From Bronny growing up to where he is now [in the NBA], and Bryce on his way to Tucson, Arizona [where he committed to Arizona]. I’ve never gotten involved. I’ve never went to a practice and sat there through practice the whole time to see how my son is being utilized. I never got on the phone with the coaches.
“Coach my son, coach him however you want to. And I think you need to hold him more accountable. I hope you hold him accountable more than any other kid here. And say what the f–k you need to say, no matter how it’s being said.
“If you could just take the message. It’s not about how he said it, just take the message out of it. I think that builds character as well and I think it’s part of the reason they are where they are at this stage in their lives. Babying your kid and always thinking that your kid is this… and that and not allowing coaches to coach them or not allowing people to be hard on them — and as soon as a coach says something to them you pull them and go somewhere else, or as soon as someone says something bad about your kid you’re the first person to go talk in his face. It’s like, ‘you go f–king coach him then.'”
Bronny, who was a standout guard at Sierra Canyon High School, played for one season at USC before the Lakers selected him with the 55th overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft.
He and LeBron became the first father and son duo to play in the NBA together.
Bronny, 20, showed flashes of potential after he struggled in Summer League and the beginning of his debut campaign with the Lakers.
In 27 NBA appearances, the guard averaged 2.3 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.8 assists on 31.3 percent shooting from the field and 28.1 percent from 3-point range.
The younger James was back and forth from the Lakers to the South Bay Lakers in the G League, with whom he averaged 21.9 points, 44.3 percent shooting and 38.0 percent from beyond the arc.
Bronny missed the first eight games of his freshman year at USC after he a cardiac arrest incident during a practice in July 2023.
In his lone season with the Trojans, Bronny averaged 4.8 points (on 36.6 percent shooting), 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 25 appearances.
Bryce, a 6-foot-6 senior guard out of Sierra Canyon, committed to the Wildcats in January after he took an unofficial visit to Arizona.
He returned to Sierra Canyon for his junior year in 2023, after transferring to Campbell Hall High School in Los Angeles
James and his wife Savannah, are also parents to daughter, Zhuri, turning 11 in October.
As for James? The four-time NBA champ has a $52.6 million player option that he could opt into to return next season for his 23rd campaign. He will turn 41 in December.
James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, said he would discuss his playing future with his family after the Lakers’ season ended with a loss to the Timberwolves in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series on April 30.