Bronny James has revealed his reason for choosing to wear No. 9 on the Los Angeles Lakers, as he is still overwhelmed by his second-round selection in the NBA Draft.
The 19-year-old eldest son of now new teammate LeBron, 39, explained the way in which the last single digit serves as a tribute to close friend and former rapper, Juice WRLD, who died of an accidental overdose at just age 21 in December 2019.
He said: ‘Juice has been a big part of me, keeping calm in some situations that I’ve been through. So yeah, just paying homage to him especially because he passed. It’s a really important thing for me.’
Bronny shares a common ‘999’ tattoo with Juice, although the guard has it behind his ear while the ‘Lucid Dreams’ hitmaker had it on his body. The angel number 999 signifies the completion of a cycle and the beginning of a new one.
When someone sees this number, it’s usually a sign that a chapter in their life is soon to come to a close, and that new opportunities and possibilities are on the horizon.
Bronny joins the NBA only 11 months after suffering cardiac arrest and 25 games for USC. He addressed his six-month rise from competitively playing again on a college basketball to being projected to not making the cut at the NBA Draft Combine.
‘Everything’s just been surreal,’ the 6-ft-2 guard told reporters while sitting alongside another new guard on the team, Dalton Knecht – the Lakers’ 17th overall pick of this year’s draft.
‘Just trying to take it all in by the days. I’m extremely grateful for everything that [Lakers head coach] JJ [Redick] and [general manager] Rob [Pelinka] have given to me. I’ve been extremely excited to get work.’
When asked about the criticism and hype that comes with playing with his four-time NBA champion father, Bronny said: ‘For sure [playing with him] amplifies the amount of pressure.
‘I’ve already seen it on social media and on the internet and stuff, talking about how I might not deserve an opportunity. But I’ve been dealing with this stuff for my whole life. It’s nothing different. [The pressure] is more amplified for sure, but I can get through it.’
Bronny went on to describe himself as eager to write his own story as he wants to prove that he is more than just the eldest son of one of the greatest players ever.
‘I’m just living by the days and trying not to care about what other people think about me because there are a lot of people who have something to say,’ he said.
‘I’m just taking it by the day and staying sane while doing it.’
Bronny thanked the Lakers’ front office for ‘everything they have given to me,’ but his new head coach pushed back on that remark.
‘Rob and I did not give Bronny anything. Bronny has earned this through hard work,’ Redick said as LeBron looked on attentively.
He also described Bronny as a player with huge potential for growth.
‘His base level of feel, athleticism, point of attack, defending, shooting, passing – there’s a lot to like about his game,’ Redick said.
‘As we build out our player development program holistically, he’s going to have a great opportunity to become an excellent NBA player.’
Fans could get their first look at Bronny in action for the Lakers when California Classic Summer League action kicks off on Saturday with a game against the Sacramento Kings in San Francisco.
