Bronny James Wasn’t NBA-Ready: “Nepotism Is Real”

Bronny James continues to divide opinion. Now in his third NBA season, LeBron’s son has yet to establish a consistent role in the Los Angeles Lakers’ rotation. And so far, the numbers aren’t exactly helping his case.

The latest voice to weigh in is Kenyon Martin, the former No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick, who addressed one of the most controversial questions surrounding Bronny’s career: how much did the James name influence his path to the league?

For Martin, the answer is pretty straightforward.

Kenyon Martin: “Nepotism Is Real, We All Know That”

According to the former NBA player, Bronny wasn’t ready to make the jump to the professional level when the Lakers selected him with the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

And in Martin’s opinion, LeBron’s influence played a significant role.

With Bronny and LeBron, yeah, nepotism is real. We all know that, and we’d all do the same thing if we had the opportunity. A thousand percent. If we could directly help our son get into a position to succeed, we’d do it without thinking twice

Kenyon Martin

But Martin didn’t stop there, explaining why he believes Bronny entered the NBA too early.

Do I think Bronny was ready for the NBA at that point? No. He didn’t have enough college experience, especially because his development was interrupted by the heart issue

Kenyon Martin

Martin was referring to the cardiac arrest Bronny suffered in 2023, an incident that inevitably affected his only college season at USC.

For Martin, then, the issue isn’t necessarily that Bronny took advantage of an opportunity, but that he reached the NBA before completing his development.

Despite his criticism, Martin also highlighted the other side of the story.

Because while the James name may have opened doors, it has also brought an enormous amount of pressure.

No other 55th pick in the Draft has to deal with all these expectations, pressure and criticism. We get it, his last name is James, but it’s unfair to the kid

Kenyon Martin

The former NBA star pointed out that other young players from the 2024 Draft class, including No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, have also struggled to establish themselves in the league without facing anywhere near the same level of media scrutiny.

Bronny James: The Numbers Paint a Grim Picture

So far, it’s difficult to argue that Bronny has done much to silence his doubters.

Now in his third NBA season, LeBron’s son has made 74 regular-season appearances but has never managed to secure consistent minutes in the Lakers’ rotation.

Through the early stages of the 2026/27 campaign, he’s averaging less than one point per game, and in three of his first five appearances, he played fewer than two minutes.

Then there’s another statistic that has attracted plenty of attention.

Across his first five appearances of the season, the Lakers posted a combined plus/minus of -40 in the 16 minutes and 35 seconds Bronny spent on the court.

It’s a staggering number, although it needs to be put into context given his extremely limited playing time and the situations in which he’s been used.

After his first appearances of the season, Bronny was sent back to the NBA G League, where he showed some encouraging signs with several solid performances.

His return to the NBA, however, was anything but impressive, as his outing against Milwaukee also demonstrated.

And inevitably, the same question keeps coming up: Would Bronny have received the same opportunities if he weren’t LeBron James’ son?

Another incident that sparked debate came during the game against Detroit, when Bronny James responded to a fan who was heckling him from the stands.

Can you run a mile? How much money do you make in a year?

Bronny James

His response only added fuel to the controversy surrounding LeBron’s son, who was already facing criticism over his NBA performances.

Bronny, meanwhile, remains under constant scrutiny, even when he spends just a couple of minutes on the floor.

Martin’s argument is fairly simple, and there’s some truth to it: LeBron may have helped his son reach the NBA, but that doesn’t mean Bronny should be judged by different standards than every other young player in the league.