There’s been a lot of conversation lately concerning Bronny James and the harmful practice of nepotism. This discussion has been amplified after the Los Angeles Lakers brought the young man aboard, presumably to play with his dad, LeBron James.

However, at every turn, the Lakers have appeared to be big fans of Bronny. And now, they’re clearly starting to put their foot down about what they feel is an unfair label for how the rookie paved his way to the NBA.

During the Lakers’ introductory press conference of their 2024 NBA draft picks Dalton Knecht and Bronny on Tuesday, new head coach JJ Redick went out of his way to talk up Bronny’s skill set. He didn’t mince his words.

Redick went as far as to say that Bronny “earned” his way onto the Lakers, an unsubtle nod toward the underlying nepotism discussion:

“Bronny has earned this through hard work… There’s a lot to like about his game”

Head Coach JJ Redick on Bronny pic.twitter.com/gErxwOWWvi

— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 2, 2024

Regardless of how Bronny got to the NBA, it seems pretty obvious the Lakers believe in his ability to be a quality rotation player. I highly doubt all of this is lip service, and it’s cool to see them having his back.