LeBron James‘ oldest son, Bronny, has been making quite a name for himself. Playing for USC’s Trojans as a freshman, he has been averaging 5.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists over an average of 19.1 minutes per game. Rumors have it that he could make it to the 2024 NBA drafts, and it will be a dream come true if the up-and-coming star gets to play with Papa James. Nobody would be happier than King James if that happened. But dreams only go so far. If rumors are to be believed, there’s a high chance Bronny could be drafted somewhere other than the LA Lakers.

Considering that LeBron doesn’t have a player option in the coming summer, his dream to play with his son in the big league, before retiring, could be in danger. Moreover, if Bronny gets drafted to a team, for instance, Orlando Magic, the one team that Lebron said he would never play for, the situation will turn around massively! What if James Jr. gets drafted to a team his father would never play for? Would Papa James have a change of heart?

Interestingly, in an interview with Run it Back, former Sixers star Lou Williams says, “LeBron said he would never play for Orlando Magic under any circumstances. If Bronny gets drafted to the Orlando Magic, then we have a change of heart. I would love to see how this plays out.”

Why would LeBron rather retire than play for Orlando?
The year 2019 unleashed the deadly COVID-19 pandemic that resulted in everyone scurrying into the protection of their homes. It was during this time that the NBA’s 2019-20 season was turned upside down. The league was in dire straits on how to tackle the situation. Then, Commissioner Adam Silver and other executives came up with the ‘2020 NBA Bubble’ that was set in Disney World in Orlando.

This would allow them to safely host the remainder of the NBA games and playoffs under strict protocols, ensuring the safety of the players. Referring to this, Bron once said in an interview with The Shop, “Anytime I hear Orlando right now, I get PTSD…I’m not going, I’ll just retire.”

As the playoffs commenced, the players were to stay in the Disney World hotels, isolated from everyone in a ‘Bubble’, except close friends and family. Well, it turns out that the team that spent the most time in the Bubble was LeBron and the Lakers, who arrived in July and left in October. We can only imagine the sort of mental exhaustion the players went through in this isolation. Under these circumstances, it will be interesting to see how things play out. If Bronny gets drafted to the Magic, will LeBron put this trauma aside and join his son? Or will he let go of his lifelong dream to play with Bronny in the NBA? Only time will tell.