“It was like the matrix or something,” LeBron said afterward. “It just didn’t feel real.”

The Lakers helped the 39-year-old James realize a yearslong dream of playing alongside his son when they drafted Bronny with the 55th overall pick in June, making way for them to become first father-son pair to play in an NBA game together in a preseason matchup on Oct. 6.

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has described the draft pick as “magical,” while his organization has drawn criticisms about whether Bronny would have earned the opportunity if his father wasn’t one of the game’s greatest players. Those objections — albeit met with widespread excitement for the James family — reignited conversations about nepotism in sports and how powerful figures leverage their influence, while underscoring the stigma around kids following in the footsteps of a successful parent or family member.

“There’s always going to be people who are saying that things are nepotism,” said Alice Leppert, an associate professor of media and communication studies at Ursinus College in Pennsylvania. “There’s going to be some cynical assumption that strings were pulled and basically that things are not fair.

”That’s often based on people’s desire to believe in a meritocracy, Leppert said, referring to the system where someone gains status or rewards based on his or her abilities, not wealth or social status.

“In general, we don’t live in a meritocracy,” Leppert added. “We want to live in a meritocracy, and that’s why we get these sorts of debates.”

For centuries, children born into rich and powerful families have inherited businesses, stardom and endless resources for success — a conspicuous display of power in Hollywood, politics and sports.

Critics of nepotism argue that those without the same access to resources — i.e. producers and directors in the entertainment industry, scouts and training facilities in sports — are left at a significant disadvantage when it comes to opportunities.

Others question why a practice so ingrained in society is being even being mentioned.

“I don’t want to hear these charges, people talking about nepotism,” former ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski said during the NBA draft. “The NBA is full of nepotism. The ownership level, front offices, coaching. I don’t want to hear it all of a sudden because Bronny James’ father plays for the Lakers. It is rampant in this league.”

There have been about 100 instances in NBA history of players joining the league after their fathers played. Those young men stepped into the league after the father’s career ended, but they include Stephen and Dell Curry, Kobe and Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, Bill and Luke Walton, among others.

Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. played together with the Seattle Mariners during parts of the 1990 and 1991 MLB seasons. Hockey great Gordie Howe played with sons Marty and Mark for the Houston Aeros in the WHA and the New England/Hartford Whalers in the WHA and NHL.

In the 65 schools that compete in major college football, there are at least 25 instances of family members on the same coaching staff, according to an Associated Press examination of coaching rosters in 2022. In the NFL, 16 of the league’s 32 owners inherited their teams from family, per a study done by USA Today.

“I think we’re resigned in this country to the fact that if you own it, you can do whatever you want with it,” said David Grenardo, a law professor and sports law expert at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. “So I’m the owner. I can pass it down to my kids … And that’s somewhat acceptable because that person has the right to do with their property what they want.”

That acceptance changes when it comes to athletes, Grenardo said.

“That is where we are completely uncomfortable with the idea of someone getting an opportunity that they did not deserve,” he said, noting the intrigue of watching the best compete against the best in sports.

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After 1½ months of searching, including a couple of twists, the Lakers have found their new head coach – a former player-turned-broadcaster who doesn’t have any previous head coaching experience.

The Lakers will hire JJ Redick as their new head coach, which was first reported by ESPN on Thursday, adding that Redick agreed to a four-year deal.

The 39-year-old former Duke star and 15-year NBA veteran will be the franchise’s seventh full-time head coach in 13 years (eighth including Bernie Bickerstaff’s five-game stint as interim coach in 2013) and 29th overall.

With the hiring of Redick, the Lakers are hoping to accomplish two things: build off the last two seasons when they made the playoffs, including the 2023 Western Conference finals, in what’s expected to be the final couple of seasons of the LeBron James-Anthony Davis era; and have a coach in place who can have a development-focused approach in the post-James era.

ESPN reported last week that Redick had the opportunity to “move him to the forefront” of the Lakers’ coaching search with a strong interview performance on Saturday.

That’s exactly what happened, and now the Lakers have their new coach.

The Lakers’ hiring of Redick came after the organization’s failed pursuit of UConn men’s coach Dan Hurley, who turned down the Lakers’ six-year, $70 million offer and returned to the Huskies. Redick was considered the frontrunner for the Lakers’ job before their pursuit of Hurley became public.

The Lakers hoped to hire a coach before the NBA’s June 26-27 draft. Redick met with Lakers VP and GM Rob Pelinka last month at the draft combine in Chicago before the more formal and thorough interview with Pelinka and Lakers governor Jeanie Buss last weekend.

Redick was a color commentator for ABC’s broadcast of the NBA Finals between the Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks.

Redick, who played in the NBA for 15 seasons (four with the Clippers) and retired in 2021, has no professional or college coaching experience, never coaching above the youth level.

But he has interviewed for multiple head-coaching vacancies recently: the Toronto Raptors’ last offseason, which went to Darko Rajaković, and the Charlotte Hornets this spring, with Boston lead assistant Charles Lee set to join the Hornets after the conclusion of the Celtics’ playoff run.

Redick became an analyst/broadcaster for ESPN immediately after retirement and has hosted podcasts since 2016, including, “The Old Man and the Three” which is part of the ThreeFourTwo Productions company he co-founded.

Notably, Redick has also been co-hosting a podcast, “Mind the Game”, with Lakers star LeBron James since March.
Even with the messaging being that the Lakers had long-term goals with this coaching hire, Redick will face immediate pressure to win. Former coach Darvin Ham lasted just two seasons despite leading the Lakers to the playoffs in back-to-back years: a conference finals appearance last year and a first-round exit against the Denver Nuggets earlier in the spring.

Redick will inherit a roster that could resemble the one that went 47-35 in 2023-24. Seven players from last year’s team have guaranteed deals for 2024-25, not including big man Christian Wood, who’s reportedly already opted into his player option for next season. James, D’Angelo Russell, Jaxson Hayes and Cam Reddish also have a June 29 deadline for their player options.

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