Trainer Chris Brinkley works out with LeBron James and his sons, Bryce and Bronny (right).
The NBA Draft was a two-night event in June for the first time. Thirty young men had their lifelong dreams come true when Commissioner Adam Silver called their names on Day 1. None of those players were Bronny James.
Bronny didn’t pout, which is an example of the mental toughness of the eldest son of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Instead, he woke up early the next morning and joined his dad, LeBron, in a New York City gym for a workout with well-known trainer Chris Brickley.
“Not getting drafted the first night is a tough pill to swallow,” Brickley said. “The following day, LeBron had a workout scheduled, but in my mind, I’m wondering if Bronny would come, too.
“So, 9 a.m. comes around and they both walk in. Bronny had one of his best workouts. The whole world is saying, ‘Oh, you didn’t get drafted on Day 1’ and he comes in ready to work. They got a good 90-minute workout in and that was a sign that he’s mature and ready for whatever is thrown his way.”
Bronny was drafted on Day 2 by the Los Angeles Lakers and made his preseason debut on Oct. 4. He scored two points, blocked three shots, had a rebound and an assist in 16 minutes. On his 20th birthday, Bronny made history, teaming with LeBron to become the first father and son to play together in an NBA preseason game when the Lakers lost to the Suns.
Bronny has been the topic of conversation in barbershops around the country since the draft. Although everyone is entitled to their opinion, let’s hear from an expert on the topic.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Chris Joseph Brickley (@cbrickley603)
“He had a heart issue right before his season at USC,” Brickley said. “So, to deal with that before your first college season is no joke. Some of the criticism he has received isn’t fair. You can’t just look at his stats and say, oh, he didn’t have a great season.”
Bronny suffered cardiac arrest during a workout the summer before his freshman season. He had a procedure to treat a congenital heart defect and was cleared by doctors to return to basketball a little over four months later.
In his one season at USC (25 games), he averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists while playing just under 20 minutes per game.
During their five workouts, not only did Brickley notice Bronny was a better shooter than people give him credit for, but his athleticism jumped off the charts.
“I posted a picture the other day where his eyes were at the rim,” Brickley said. “This wasn’t at the end of the workout when guys are just messing around and dunking – this was within the workout.
“He made a cut, caught the ball full speed and dunked it eye-to-eye with the rim. His technique is very good, he has good form and his athleticism is different. He is going to be better than people think.”
Brickley recently became a global ambassador for Peloton, which will include collaborating with Peloton on social media content.
“I’m excited about this,” Brickley said. “It’s an amazing opportunity. As someone who’s spent years training elite basketball players, I know how important fitness is, both on and off the court. I’ve been a huge fan of Peloton’s equipment, especially the Peloton Tread+, and I’ve loved discovering all the amazing workouts in the app when I’m on the go.”
