Chris Russo calls out ‘fakeness’ of LeBron and Bronny James NBA debut

LeBron and Bronny James making NBA history may have been a nice family moment, but Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo won’t call it a great sports moment.

LeBron and Bronny became the first father and son to play in the NBA together Tuesday night during the Lakers’ season-opening win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bronny logged three minutes alongside his father near the end of the first half, missing two shots and grabbing one rebound in his debut.

Wednesday morning, ESPN’s First Take reacted to NBA history being made in Los Angeles, with Russo calling it out for what it was: a nice moment for the James family.

“This might be fun for LeBron. Nobody in America cares that Bronny James played three minutes and grabbed one rebound at 11 o’clock at night in the opener and this is supposed to be a moment that America is gonna resonate with?” – Chris Russo pic.twitter.com/pOvfKRcose

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 23, 2024

“This might be fun for LeBron. Nobody in America cares that Bronny James played three minutes and grabbed one rebound at 11 o’clock at night in the opener and this is supposed to be a moment that America is gonna resonate with?” Russo told Stephen A. Smith on First Take. “I mean, come on, I’m being serious now.

“And I love the kid, we know he had the major issue at USC and LeBron’s great, he’s an all-timer. He’s always been a phenomenal player, he stays out of trouble…who doesn’t love LeBron? But to make a big deal because JJ, and I love Redick, I’m rooting for him hard here. But the idea he put him in for three minutes…and this is the greatest moment in professional sports, I mean we gotta be serious.”

Russo might love LeBron, Bronny and JJ Redick, but he didn’t love the attempts at portraying Bronny’s debut as a great moment for sports fans.

“It’s not a sports moment. To me, there’s a fakeness to it.” pic.twitter.com/hFTPo6ZqPJ

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 23, 2024

“It just feels fake,” Russo continued. “It’s not a sports moment. To me, there’s a fakeness to it. it’s great for LeBron. And if that’s the idea, fine. I’ll give you that. But from a sports fan’s perspective… a sports fan, not an old white guy like me. A sports fan. I don’t think anybody is walking about America saying, ‘Wow. Did you see that Bronny James played with his father last night?’ That is not happening. You can say that it is, but that’s a cocoon. That is not happening.”

LeBron has built up enough clout in the league to warrant bringing his son to the Lakers, even if he’s a fringe NBA player at best. And no one will fault LeBron for wanting to give his son every possible opportunity to make it in the NBA. But Tuesday night wasn’t Ken Griffey Jr. being a wunderkind and playing next to his dad in the Seattle Mariners outfield. Bronny should probably be in the G League right now. Because of that, there was an aspect of Tuesday night that felt fake and forced.

[First Take]