Lakers News: Former LeBron James Rival Has Some Thoughts About Bronny James As An NBA Prospect

Should Bronny try to join the G League straight out of high school?

New York high school basketball legend Lenny Cooke was such a prospect that he was once ranked higher nationally than Los Angeles Lakers small forward LeBron James, still going strong at age 37, and 2021-22 Lakers power forward Carmelo Anthony, currently a 38-year-old free agent squarely in the role player phase of his career.

Cooke, a 6'6" swingman, went undrafted out of high school in 2002, though he was eventually selected by the National Basketball Development League (now the NBA G League) later that year. Aside from a brief Summer League stint for the Celtics, Cooke played professionally with a variety of non-NBA/non-D League clubs stateside, plus teams in the Philippines and China.  

Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson at Bally Sports Network recently spoke with Cooke about the next generation of the James clan, LBJ's eldest son LeBron "Bronny" James Jr., now a 6'3" senior point guard at Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth.

It turns out Cooke is a fan.

LeBron James’ son Broony James has “everything to succeed” at the next level in the NBA says Lenny Cooke.

Cooke and LeBron James Sr. were high school rivals in the early 2000s.

▶️ Press Play to watch our chat over at @BallySports. pic.twitter.com/bX1bIBVDP2

— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) October 9, 2022

Here's a key insight from Cooke during that conversation about Bronny:

"He's a GOAT man, and his son has great potential to be a GOAT. He has everything to succeed... This is a cat that, yes his dad played in the NBA also. His role will be a little tougher than 'Bron's."

Bronny at present is not looking like the surefire prep-to-pro lottery pick his father was. Accordingly, the younger James is currently being courted heavily by the University of Memphis, Ohio State University and the University of Southern California.

Currently, 18-year-old Bronny James is ranked to be selected early in the second round from among his projected draft class. That could certainly change with some NCAA or NBA G League seasoning before he declares for the draft.