Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Tuesday, March 28. I’m Luca Evans, a Times Sports reporter writing from The Times office in El Segundo.
At 6 p.m. PT, Chatsworth Sierra Canyon senior Bronny James will play in the McDonald’s All-American high school basketball game in Houston, alongside 23 of the top recruits in the nation. It’s one of the highest possible achievements for a high school basketball player.
It’s a milestone James has celebrated with his famous family, but it’s not without controversy.
For some, the honor bestowed upon Lakers star LeBron James’ eldest son is an example of nepotism.
LeBron is an avid supporter of Bronny, but that praise often invites cynicism. In March, he tweeted his belief that his son was better than some current NBA players. The next day, Bronny scored 10 points as his team was unceremoniously eliminated from the state basketball tournament.
Is the criticism accurate? Is Bronny James, who has 7 million Instagram followers, worth the hype?
The Times committed to answering those questions by following Bronny James throughout his senior year at Sierra Canyon, a season during which one of the most famous teenagers in America hoped to lead one of the most famous high school basketball programs in America to a championship.
During a journey that began with a preseason tournament in Vegas and ended with a disappointed trudge off a court in Calabasas, I traveled across the country and frequently traversed the San Fernando Valley to chronicle his development in the shadow of his father’s towering legacy.
Kim Kardashian, popular YouTube influencers and a parade of past and present NBA stars joined LeBron James in cheering on his son on the Sierra Canyon sidelines. Bronny James lived in that spotlight, the subject of endless social media video highlights, but his voice was nowhere to be found.
His family declined all interview requests on Bronny James’ behalf, leaving it to dozens of people I interviewed to help paint an accurate picture of his impact and potential. And now you can read the answerto the most popular question I get asked after a season shadowing Bronny James — is he any good?
No comments:
Post a Comment