Bronny James Says He Uses NBA Criticism as Fuel

Bronny James is addressing the scrutiny surrounding his NBA career, making it clear that he hears the criticism—but he’s using it as motivation.

In a recent interview with The Athletic, the 20-year-old Lakers rookie opened up about the challenges of playing in the league alongside his father, LeBron James, and the accusations that he only made it to the NBA because of his last name.

“My first thought about everything is I always try to just let it go through one ear and out the other, put my head down and come to work and be positive every day,” Bronny said. “But sometimes it just fuels me a little bit. I see everything people are saying, and people think like I’m a f—— robot, like I don’t have any feelings or emotions.”

His comments come just weeks after LeBron confronted ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith courtside, demanding that the analyst stop speaking negatively about his son. Smith had previously claimed on First Take that Bronny was in the NBA solely because of his father’s influence, which angered the four-time champion.

Despite the criticism, Bronny is focused on proving himself. Splitting time between the Lakers and their G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, he’s been working hard to refine his skills. “I use it as fuel to wake up every day, get to the gym early, watch extra film, and get better,” he said.

Though he typically stays quiet in the face of negativity, Bronny hasn’t been afraid to push back—recently clapping back at a heckler during a game by calling out their fake chain.