Jason Whitlock accuses LeBron James and Bronny James of “disrespecting” basketball after Ja Morant’s shove (Image credit: Imagn)
Veteran analyst Jason Whitlock said that LeBron James and Bronny James aren’t respected around the league because they’ve been disrespectful to the game of basketball. The LA Lakers superstar was involved in a situation with Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant Wednesday, where he shoved James after getting a bucket.
That sequence started several conversations around the league and Whitlock took to X (formerly Twitter) to say that this was a sign of disrespect for LeBron, adding that neither him nor Bronny have the respect of their peers.
“He’s not respected because he and Bronny are disrespecting the game and everybody knows it,” he tweeted on Friday.
Whitlock has been a constant critic of James, whose comments have reached new heights after Bronny James was drafted by the Lakers with the No. 55 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. James’ kid getting a roster spot has bothered plenty of people, including Whitlock.
Bronny went back to Cleveland with the team last week, where he and his father were honored by the Cavaliers. This was the game in which he made his first NBA basket, which prompted the home team to gift him the game net. This gesture didn’t sit well with Whitlock, who called out the treatment the rookie received.
He went on to call James a ‘Make-A-Wish’ kid for how the Cavs celebrated his first basket in the association.
“Bronny ‘Make-a-Swish’ James is the Tim Walz of the NBA,” Whitlock said. “#StolenValor. If you really belonged, you wouldn’t do this.”
Now that the Lakers returned from their road trip, James is set to make his debut with the G League affiliate South Bay, with fans taking ticket prices to unthinkable levels.
Bronny’s G League debut ticket prices have skyrocketed
Despite being a rookie and not having a lot of playing time with the Lakers, Bronny James has become a brand and the G League is already benefitting from that. Ahead of his Saturday debut against Salt Lake City, ticket prices went from around $58 to $293 on SeatGeek, TMZ Sports reports. The best seats on StubHub are listed at nearly $700.
This is a testament of what James means for fans. He’s still young and has a lot to learn, but Bronny’s name always draws attention.
He’s expected to only play in South Bay’s home games, as he’ll split time between the G League and the NBA.
