Los Angeles Lakers Legend Boldly Speaks About Bronny James

The Los Angeles Lakers are facing backlash over Bronny James and a team legend spoke out about him.

Jul 10, 2024; San Francisco, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James Jr. (9) between plays against the Miami Heat during the fourth quarter at Chase Center. / Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Bronny James has been one of the most talked about players in the NBA throughout the summer.

After being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 55 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the son of LeBron James struggled a bit during the NBA Summer League.

Despite the fact that he was a second-round pick and is headed towards playing in the G-League for a large portion of the 2024-25 season, the younger James has faced a ton of criticism.

Gone are the days of being an up-and-coming star that fans rooted for when he played for the USC Trojans. Also gone are the days of making big-time NIL money without facing the pressure of playing alongside his father.

Speaking of his NIL success, On3 has projected that he was valued at around $5.9 million. He had already started creating success for himself off the court before being drafted by the Lakers.

Amid all of the backlash and criticism that he is facing, one Los Angeles legend spoke out in support of James.

That legend was none other than Michael Cooper. He made it clear that he thinks LeBron's son has talent and could become a key piece for the Lakers down the road.

"When you're that good, people try to find little knicks and knacks about you, but this is not about nepotism at all. It's about drafting a young player that could definitely help the Lakers in the long run, and he happens to have the name James."

James was not drafted to be a rotation player this season. Why he's being treated like he was is ridiculous. He's a project that Los Angeles knows they will need to develop over the next few years.

One aspect of his game that has already been seen as potentially impactful early on is his defense.

He is a hard-nosed and pesky defender. While his offensive game needs a lot of work, he's a player that could play a defensive role early on in his NBA career.

It will be interesting to see what the future has in store for the Lakers' rookie. James faces a ton of pressure simply because of his name. That isn't fair and he shouldn't be judged differently than any other second-round pick.

Hopefully, he will be able to rise above all the haters. He has a bright future ahead of him if he can stay grounded and work hard.