No other 20-year-old experiences the pressure and media attention like Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James. No second-round pick in NBA history has come with such high expectations, which seems unfair for someone recovering from cardiac arrest just over a year ago.

While James is achieving his dream of playing professional basketball, there is still a lot of work to be done to make him a valuable role player. But every game he plays, every minute will be heavily analyzed, considering he’s the son of LeBron James.

With Bronny and LeBron forming the first father and son duo in NBA history, TNT NBA analyst Charles Barkley knows via Throwbacks that the former USC Trojan will have a target on her back:

“I’m just glad he’s healthy, and we’re all rooting for him because we have so much respect for LeBron. It won’t be easy because he has a target on his back because of his last name. There’s going to be a certain amount of petty jealousy from people who say, ‘You don’t deserve to play in the NBA. You’re not as good as some of these other players. You only got in because of your father.’”

The majority of Bronny’s rookie season could be spent in the G League with the South Bay Lakers, allowing him to gain reps and confidence. But even his G League minutes will be assessed, so it’s really a lose-lose situation unless he shows significant progress.

But seeing how LeBron has been through this for more than two decades, Bronny can rely on his father for advice on how to block these stories. But it seems he is showing tolerance to ignore the media’s opinions about his performance and ultimately just wants to play basketball.

JJ Redick wants Bronny James to be a defensive ‘pest’ for Lakers

At this stage of his Summer League rookie and preseason minutes, it’s clear that Bronny James’ offensive game needs time to develop. However, his defensive skills are quite impressive and may be needed later due to the large number of explosive guards in the league.

Spending time in the G League to adapt to the NBA style of play will hopefully allow the 20-year-old to develop into a 3-and-D guard. The plan that Lakers head coach JJ Redick has for Bronny is that he wants him to be a defensive “pest” for LA when he hits the floor.

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