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Fact Check: Did LeBron James Really Ask Bronny to Call Him by His ‘Government Name’ on the Court Instead of 'Daddy'
We won’t be graced with Bronny’s ‘set me a screen, daddy’ on the court, no, LeBron James won’t allow that.
Bronny James won't be able to answer the 'Who's your daddy?' question with 'LeBron,' not while he's on the court. LeBron James has made it clear that he doesn’t want his son calling him "Daddy" during games. So, don't expect to hear Bronny shouting, "Set me a screen, Daddy?" on the court. LeBron prefers that Bronny use his 'government name' instead.
This isn’t just us saying it—this claim has been circulating on Twitter, and it makes sense given LeBron's recent comments about Bronny not calling him "Dad" during games. But here's the catch: the entire story isn't true, at least, not the 'daddy' bit.
The ‘daddy’ tweet was published by an account named, NBA Centel, notorious for posting hilarious and mostly fake NBA news, for the gags. Recently fans got ‘Centl’d’ with the news of Jimmy Butler shooting his shot with Jennifer Lopez post-divorce! We debunked that too, if you’ve not read it, go do it now!
So, what did LeBron James really say? For years, LeBron has been open about his dream of playing alongside his son, Bronny, in the NBA. Now that this dream is about to become a reality, LeBron's setting some ground rules. On "The Shop," a show he co-produces, the NBA legend explained that Bronny can’t call him "Dad" on the court.
"No, he can't; we already laid that down," LeBron said. "Once we leave the practice facility and the gates close, I could be 'Dad' again—in the car if we ride together. At home, I could be 'Dad.' But on the court, he’s gotta call me '2-3' or 'Bron,' or 'GOAT' [greatest of all time] if he wants to. It's his choice. I mean, it’s up to him."
LeBron believes this adjustment will be easier for him than for Bronny.
"It's easy for me because I've been calling him 'Bronny' for so long," LeBron said. "It’s not like I’ve been saying, 'Hey son, hey son.' So it's easy for me. But it’ll be an adjustment for him.
"We can’t have him running down the court yelling, 'Dad, push the ball up! Dad, I'm open! Dad, come on!'"
But that’s not the only story here. Despite being the No. 55 pick in this year’s NBA draft, Bronny was one of the most talked-about prospects this summer. As the son of Lakers superstar LeBron James, expectations were sky-high for the rookie guard.
The Lakers took a chance by drafting the then untested 19-year-old Bronny James, aiming to create the NBA’s first father-son duo.
But this opportunity comes with a price.
Some people think Bronny James took a shortcut to the NBA. The McDonald’s All American from Sierra Canyon played just one season at USC, where he averaged 4.8 points and 2.1 assists after suffering a cardiac arrest in July. Critics argue that Bronny is just riding on the James family name. But history tells us that NBA bloodlines are often undervalued. In reality, having an NBA pedigree might hurt more than help draft status.
READ MORE: Bronny James Ignites Dating Rumors with Flirty Comment on Rumored Girlfriend Parker Whitfield's Post
Take Jalen Brunson, for example—he wasn’t even a first-round pick despite being the National College Player of the Year and the son of former NBA player Rick Brunson.
Bronny James, drafted 55th in the 2024 NBA Draft, has a lot to prove if he wants a long and successful NBA career. There's no denying he's a raw prospect and not yet ready for major minutes in the NBA. Hopefully, he'll spend considerable time in the G League next season, and hopefully, the Lakers have a solid development plan for him.
