Skip Bayless Unloads on Bronny James

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nick Wright | Last updated Jan 14, 2025 1:11 PM ET

Prominent (and always controversial) sports commentator Skip Bayless has dramatically shifted his stance on Bronny James, expressing serious doubts about the Lakers rookie's NBA future. In a recent episode of The Skip Bayless Show , the veteran analyst delivered a stark assessment of LeBron James's son, who has struggled to find his footing in the NBA.

"I'm just not seeing LeBron James Jr. as an NBA player, now or maybe ever. I kept arguing on television that playing alongside his father would bring out the best in him... The truth is, I saw only one great flash from Bronny. That was in the fourth quarter of the McDonalds All Star Game."

Bayless emphasized James's passive approach to the game:

"There's been so many games where Bronny seemed to be content to just stand and watch. He rarely initiates, rarely attacks." The emergence of other young Lakers talents like Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht has further highlighted James's difficulties, with Bayless noting that Knecht's success has "taken all of the pressure off Bronny, because now nobody expects or needs him to contribute whatsoever."

That said, as Bronny's G League numbers have dramatically risen to 14.7 point per game, collecting 4.4 rebounds. For now, his aggressiveness seems to be reemerging.

While some attribute James's struggles to his earlier cardiac incident, the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft faces an uncertain future, which prompted Bayless to pose a sobering question: