Bronny James shows off his favorite sneakers and shares his thoughts on the NBA draft
Bronny James discussed stepping into his legendary father’s shoes — literally — while shopping for sneakers in a video published ahead of the NBA draft.
LeBron James’ eldest son fielded questions about his family, sneaker collection and footwear on and off the court during the 300th episode of Complex’s “Sneaker Shopping” series.
During the rare interview, Bronny said it was his first time in a shoe store in years, dating to “probably before COVID.” His father is a lifetime Nike athlete and Bronny is an inaugural has a name, image and likeness deal with the company as well, giving him access to any Nike shoe a sneakerhead could desire.
Scouts and executives see Bronny James as a viable NBA player and confirm he could be leverage to force the Lakers into a trade to unite him with his father.
“Special. All the opportunities my dad has given me,” James said of his sneaker access. “The ability to pick any shoe.”
Bronny unsurprisingly favors his father’s shoes on the court, specifically the first in his father’s signature line, the Nike Air Zoom Generation, also known as LeBron 1s. James said he loves playing in these shoes, released in 2003, a year before he was born, because “they’re super light and look great.”
Bronny revealed that he and his brother, Bryce, helped test the next generation of LeBrons, starting with the LeBron 20s, released in 2022. A tag on the shoe reads, “Designed and engineered to the exact specifications of the next generation,” a nod to the brothers.
“We were in the lab a little bit,” Bronny said. “I helped him cook up some shoes. He wanted to get some feedback from his sons.”
There is a consensus by NBA talent evaluators that the eldest son of LeBron James could be a second-round draft pick.
Bronny said he went so far as to double up his socks to fit into his father’s pair of Nike Off-White x Hyperdunk shoes while playing in high school at Sierra Canyon.
Within the family, competition for the title of superior sneakerhead is intense. Bronny saluted his younger brother’s passion for sneaker hunting.
“We all have to get ours,” he said. “Bryce, he be searching for shoes. He tries to find everything.”
Bronny shared his love for his favorite Nike silhouette, the Nike Vomero 5, offering a glimpse into his own style and personality beyond LeBron’s line of shoes. Bronny prefers the low-key early 2000s running shoe, opting for the simple black, white and tan colorways.
“I would be happy about getting to the league instead of me thinking about playing with my dad,” Bronny James said at NBA draft combine Tuesday.
After an extensive discussion of shoes, Bronny acknowledged his excitement about this week’s NBA draft, calling the experience a blessing and potentially playing in the NBA a dream come true.
After the interview, Bronny observed the series tradition of going on a shopping spree. He purchased pairs of some of the most sought-after Nike collaborations with hype brands such as Cactus Plant Flea Market, Off-White and CLOT, totaling $10,172.
As a birthday present for his brother, who turned 17 during the episode’s filming, James picked up a few pairs of Kobe 8s.
Go beyond the scoreboard
Get the latest on L.A.'s teams in the daily Sports Report newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
