Ice Cube Speaks Out on LeBron and Bronny James Criticisms

Nobody was surprised when the Los Angeles Lakers drafted Bronny James with the No. 55 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, pairing him with his father, LeBron James. Despite this, however, both the Lakers and LeBron have faced accusations of nepotism since bringing Bronny onto the team. Addressing these criticisms recently, LA rap star and Lakers fan Ice Cube quickly dismissed these claims during a conversation with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson of Scoop B Radio at a BIG3 event.

“It don’t matter. The thing is a father should help they son to get to the next level whether it’s basketball or business or it’s a job,” Ice Cube asserted. “Wherever you can help your own family, you gotta do it.”

Leading up to the NBA Draft, Bronny’s agent Rich Paul limited his workouts to just the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns. On draft day, former Golden State Warriors executive Bob Myers mentioned hearing that any interested teams were informed Bronny would head to Australia if they tried to draft him.

Most of these discussions, however, fail to acknowledge Bronny’s legitimacy as an NBA prospect. After an underwhelming freshman season at USC, Bronny regained attention from NBA teams following a strong showing at the combine.

Lakers fans got their first glimpse of Bronny James during NBA Summer League. Bronny participated in six summer league games in Las Vegas and the California Classic in Sacramento and San Francisco. Throughout the games, he averaged 7.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.0 steals. He shot 32.7 percent from the field, 13 percent from the three-point line, and 25 percent from the free-throw line.

Although Bronny’s shooting percentages were concerning, his defensive skills stood out as an area that could translate well to the NBA. Bronny’s performance improved as the summer league progressed. In one of his final games, he posted 12 points and shot 5-of-11 from the field.

Bronny signed a four-year contract with the Lakers worth approximately $7.9 million. During the 2024-25 NBA season, he is expected to spend most of his time in the G League with the South Bay Lakers.

Bronny played one season at USC after making a remarkable return to the court following a cardiac arrest scare. He declared for the NBA Draft following the conclusion of the NCAA season.