The Importance Of Being Bronny: Fame, Game And Influence

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LOS ANGELES — LeBron James jumped from his baseline seat, took a step forward and threw up three fingers. Dwyane Wade, sitting next to him, made a similar gesture, as the two celebrated James’ son, Bronny, knocking down his third three-pointer of the night.

The game itself was just a scrimmage, but that didn’t stop people from showing up. Sierra Canyon’s gym was full.

Gabrielle Union, Wade’s wife, was there. Danny Green strolled in. Dahntay Jones. There were Instagram basketball celebrities, shoe industry folks and just pure basketball fans. Some were there to get a look at D-Wade’s son, Zaire. Some to see Kentucky commit BJ Boston. Some just for the show.

But, mostly, the gym was packed for Bronny James. Just 15, James has amassed a following and brand that exceeds most professional athletes, before even playing an actual high school game.

Said one shoe executive: “He’s the most influential high school athlete of all-time.”

***

Bronny’s Instagram following exceeds 3.5 million followers. His first day on the app, more than a million people smashed the follow button.

For context, that’s more followers than 10 of last year’s NBA All-Stars — Kemba Walker, Bradley Beal, Dirk Nowitzki, Khris Middleton, Kyle Lowry, Karl-Anthony Towns, LaMarcus Aldridge, Victor Oladipo, Nikola Jokic and Nikola Vucevic.

“It’s crazy, sometimes I feel I have too much and then I look at Bronny and the hate he gets, it’s crazy,” said Ziaire Williams, a Sierra Canyon teammate who himself ranks as the No. 5 player in the class of 2020. “He’s just a 15-year old kid who has grown men hating on a kid for no reason.”

It’s not all hate. Much of it is fascination: A highlight this week, an Instagram post the next. Anything — or everything — could go viral. The Bronny-induced hysteria extends to his web of teammates and friends, a clique that isn’t too different than the following his father has amassed over the years at the NBA level, building Superteam after Superteam. Of the top 15 Instagram followings among high school basketball players (Bronny is No. 1), seven others either play or have played with him in AAU or at Sierra Canyon.

Freshman Mikey Williams is No. 2 with over a million followers on Instagram. Although Williams didn’t play AAU with Bronny this past summer, he did previously. AAU teammates Gabe Cupps (320,000) and Jahzarre Jackson (295,000) haven’t played high school games yet and are top 10. Dior Johnson, a sophomore and close friend of Bronny, is No. 7 with 342,000 followers.

On Aug. 26, BJ Boston, a top 15 senior and a Kentucky commit, had 109,000 followers on Instagram. He has since transferred to Sierra Canyon and his following catapulted to 157,000.

The Bronny effect is real.

“I feel like he handles it well,” Boston told 247Sports. “He handles it more mature than other young kids.”

One player agent that represents multiple athletes with a million-plus Instagram followers said he would be looking for an excess of $250,000 for a one-off post made by a player with the brand and following that Bronny has.

Security is needed during Bronny’s AAU games, mostly for crowd control. In a setting against prodigy Emoni Bates this summer, there were bodyguards stationed around the court. It was standing-room-only eight rows back. There was a private section for LeBron and his family.

All for a freshman in high school? There’s never been anything like it. There’s also never been a freshman quite like Bronny.

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If Bronny was just an average basketball player, there would still be interest in him. But the fact he has a chance to be one of the best players in his class has amplified everything.

“By the time he’s a senior he might be the best in the world,” Boston said.

Bold. But Boston has perspective. He’s played against the best players on the Nike EYBL circuit, at Norcross (Ga.) High last year and has been practicing and playing with Bronny at Sierra Canyon since this summer.

James already stands 6-foot-2 and is athletic enough to throw down windmills with ease. But it’s not just the physical tools, although they are certainly good for his age, that wow you with his game. It’s his feel, passing and shooting ability that sticks out.

“His game is crazy for a freshman,” Zaire Wade told 247Sports. “He has a body, he has an IQ, he has talent so in four years he’s going to be special.”

In 247Sports’ recent viewing, James impressed with his shooting, calmly sinking all three of his three-point attempts. His mechanics are good, as are his footwork and balance. He also made smart decisions with the ball and showed adept passing ability.

LeBron is known for his versatility and ability to play on the ball despite standing 6-foot-9. Williams sees Bronny as a primary ball handler long-term.

“He’s a pass-first point guard,” Williams said. “His passing and knowledge for the game is really good.” He’s just a great person, great character, he’s funny, he’s a good person to be around.”

***

So, does Bronny have a chance to be as good as his dad? How do the two compare at the same stage in their development? Those two questions have been circulating the high school landscape.

The first question is unfair. The second question could be a case study.

The man with arguably the most knowledge on what LeBron looked like as an incoming freshman is Duquesne head coach Keith Dambrot. Dambrot met LeBron when he was 13 years old, and coached him as a freshman and sophomore at Akron (Ohio) St. Vincent St. Mary.

At age 13, LeBron was 6-feet tall. He entered high school at 6-foot-4, 170-pounds and grew to 6-foot-6, 200 pounds as a sophomore. Dambrot said he “looked like a little kid,” and was thin, but possessed an unbelievable brain and feel for the game.

“People think he was this big strong guy always, that’s how I knew he was going to be great because he wasn’t physically mature yet,” Dambrot said. “I don’t know what Bronny looks like but LeBron wasn’t physically mature until he was a junior or senior in high school.”

After his sophomore season is when LeBron began to explode physically.

However, if LeBron had flattened out around 6-foot-4, Dambrot believes he would still have developed into a professional basketball player because of how he saw the game.

“His passing ability and instincts were second to none and his ability to learn was better than anybody I have ever seen,” Dambrot said. “Everybody thinks he turned into this freak physically — but he was a freak mentally back then.

“When I looked at him his freshman year, he was a pro, even before he turned into this beast,” he added.

For comparison sake, Bronny is two inches shorter than his father was at the same stage. He has a sturdy build, but one that certainly doesn’t appear to be maxed out.

Dambrot’s description of LeBron’s strengths as a freshman mirror the early returns of his son’s game: Bronny has impressed with his feel, poise, decision making, passing, athleticism and shooting.

***

At this stage, Bronny projects as a high-major caliber prospect. Is he a five-star prospect? Could he go straight to the NBA from high school? Everyone is asking, but it’s honestly too early to answer those questions.

What we do know is that he’s naturally gifted and has a ridiculous following. His genes will do.

LeBron taught himself how to a professional basketball player, according to Dambrot. Now he’s working on his son.

“With everything he does, LeBron is kind of like the Midas man,” Dambrot said. “Everything he touches turns to gold.”

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