"Bronny James has earned the right to get drafted": Despite consensus, Robert Griffin III backs LeBron James' son's NBA draft eligibility

Ex-NFL star and ESPN analyst Robert Griffin III shared that Bronny James deserved to be drafted in the NBA. According to Griffin, LeBron James' son showed defensive and offensive attributes, especially when he returned after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Many people expressed doubts about James making it to the NBA after the star declared for the draft in April. Griffin uploaded a video on his X account where he talked about the mental strength and skills of the USC Trojans star. He opined that Bronny was a perfect fit for the NBA hardwood.

"People context matters. And what you have to understand is that Bronny James has earned the right to put himself in a position to get drafted into the NBA." [02:45]

Griffin reasoned that Bronny showed his capabilities in defense, 3-point shooting and athleticism during the drills in the NBA draft combine in Chicago. Griffin referred to the 12 3-pointers Bronny made during the drills as evidence of shooting prowess.

Griffin also talked about James' 40.5-inch vertical leap, which, according to him, would enable him to defend the rim from anywhere. He defended Bronny from the critics who refer to his 2023-24 season average as 'poor.' Griffin said that Bronny had "almost died" and recovered from the cardiac arrest and the subsequent surgery.

Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest after he collapsed during a workout session in July last year. He missed the first eight games of the season as a result and averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists last season. He dominated the NBA draft discussions before the cardiac arrest. Later, many were critical of Bronny's draft prospects.

LeBron James talked about the mindset of Bronny James

LeBron James has always expressed the desire to play with his son. But Bronny James wants to carve his own destiny and has said that teams won't draft him for the sake of getting LeBron.

LeBron expressed his admiration for Bronny's mindset on the latest episode of the Mind the Game podcast.

"I just love his mindset. Just some of his answers to a lot of the questions that were given to him, I was in awe of because we never actually talked about it," James said. "But he's living in it. He's living in the moment. He's carving out his own lane. He's definitely not his dad, and I'm not him."

As per ESPN's latest mock draft, Bronny James is projected to be selected by the Boston Celtics in the second round with the 54th overall pick.