Imagine the pressure on this young man as he joins the L.A. Lakers team. He is the son of one of the best players in NBA history. His college stats are not that impressive, yet much is expected out of this young man with "The King" of basketball as his father.
I hope only the best for Bronny. More than anything though, I hope he is on a path of his own passion and choosing. Imagine your father being the best at his craft and you as his son just want to please your dad, make him proud. Sure, you've inherited some of his skills along with his surname, but your skillset is clearly not at the level shown by your father "The King" upon his leaving college and entering the NBA.
You have just finished playing in your first NBA summer league game and your stats are what they are, unimpressive. Being drafted to your father's team, you know he'll be watching your every move both on and off the court. You're a young man who will inevitably make young-man mistakes both on and possibly off the court. How will you face your father "The King" should those mistakes reflect negatively on dad and the family.
For you, unlike all the other rookies entering the league this season, your success or failure is bigger than you. It is bigger because you carry a huge basketball legacy on your shoulders going into this journey. And it is being magnified by the league, the media, and fans of the game.
But trust me, the biggest pressure is the weight you put on yourself. So don't go burdening yourself with what others may think or say son. Just play your game and have some fun doing it.
I'm sure your dad has given you all the advice and teachings any proud father would pass down to his son. And I'm sure he only wants for you what you want for yourself. There lies the beauty of a close father/son relationship, knowing you can consult and confide in your dad on anything you feel pressured or divided on in life. He has been down the road you have entered upon, and he knows what it means to have high expectations placed on your shoulders.
Your dad also knows the bottom-line business aspects of the game, and he'll be the first to tell you to play for the passion and love of the game, not just for the pay. Because many great players have given the game their all, only to feel as if the game owed them something more for their contributions. I suppose any celebrity, superstar, or even laborer can feel thrown away and used once the organization they've worked for feels they are unproductive, unpopular, and/or unprofitable. "Basketball is what you do, it's not what you are."
What you'll take most from the game is learning about yourself and how you handle favorable and unfavorable situations. You'll be doing this with a spotlight on you. Whatever the situation, try to be your own man and your own best critic and cheerleader. Remember to stay humble yet hungry for success in what you do. Because the outside noise can uproot and imbalance the best of players, throwing them off their game. Keep the focus on Bronny.
Your growth will not come from a high salary nor the fame of being an NBA player. Your growth will be in seeing all the beliefs and values family instilled in you come to fruition.
It is likely you have already experienced growth just by having the opportunity of being drafted into the league. Having the chance to give your best effort at the highest level of a game you love playing is a blessing. At the end of the day the only question to ask yourself is did I give it my best. The other blessing is knowing when you no longer love playing the game and/or when it's time to move on from it. "To everything there is a season." May all your decisions and goals keep you true to yourself and your spiritual teachings.
There was once another man who earned the title "The King." There is a biblical quote in answer to His detractors questioning Him publicly, in hopes of seeing Him stumble and fall flat in failure, in front of His own peoples.
"Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and give to God what is God's"
You should know Bronny, that you are much more than an NBA player. And you are much more than the son of a future Hall-of-Fame NBA player. You are a rising soul in the body of a young man being given the opportunity to choose the life he wants to live, and legacy he wants to leave behind. It is a blessed, God-given life. One to be cherished. You've been equipped with the toolbox. It is now up to you to do the work.
It is your season to begin creating the who, what, where, when, and why, that is to be Bronny the man. Life is so much bigger than a basketball court or league. If you don't believe me, just ask "The King."
God Bless!!!
The Humble Star: Kawhi Leonard Is Reinventing What It Means To Be An NBA Star (thesocialman.com)
