LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 06: Bronny James #6 of the USC Trojans greets his dad, LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, before the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Galen Center on January 06, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has been exposed as a hypocrite in the wake of his son falling out of ESPN’s 2024 Mock Draft.

Bronny James, once tipped to be a top 10 pick in the next NBA Draft, hasn’t quite lived up to the hype after joining the USC Trojans. Of course, it’s understandable given his cardiovascular scare.

LeBron, though, took to X to defend his progeny, asking fans to let Bronny be a kid and enjoy his basketball.

“Can yall please just let the kid be a kid and enjoy college basketball. The work and results will ultimately do the talking no matter what he decides to do,” he wrote in a tweet which has since been deleted. “If y’all don’t know he doesn’t care what a mock draft says, he just WORKS! Earned Not Given!”

Seems fair; that is until one recalls his own comments about his son being better than some NBA players.

“Man Bronny definitely better than some of these cats I’ve been watching on league pass today. S— lightweight hilarious,” he tweeted last March.

LeBron has also put pressure on “the kid” as he’s made it clear that he wants to play with him in the NBA.

The four-time MVP hasn’t been the most honest superstar given his penchant for capping, something which has been documented online in brutal compilations. So this is somewhat on-brand.

As for Bronny, he’s averaging 5.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game as a freshman. The numbers do not suggest he’s going to the NBA; another year in college would probably do him well.