The possibility of watching LeBron James team up with his son Bronny James will definitely be a dream for many NBA fans. That, however, is not how Austin Rivers felt when he shared his take on NBA Today.
His comments on Bronny have now prompted another former NBA professional Stephen Jackson to snap back at Rivers. Jackson mercilessly bashed Austin Rivers’ take on the youngster where Rivers had previously discouraged Bronny from playing alongside LeBron.
Stephen Jackson thrashes Austin Rivers over comments on Bronny
Stephen Jackosn did not hold back when he responded to Austin Rivers’ comments regarding NBA icon LeBron James’ eldest son Bronny James. Bronny is now playing for the USC Trojans after recovering from a congenital heart attack that he suffered last year during practice. Austin Rivers recently warned the youngster from pursuing a career pathway similar to his father.
Rivers previously mentioned the amount of spotlight he was in and the extent of peer pressure he experienced during his NBA career because of the reputation of his father, Doc Rivers, that preceded him during his rookie years.
In response to Austin Rivers’ take, Stephen Jackson was very direct in his opinion which he shared on the Sideline Sources Instagram comments. “Difference is you trash, Bronny not. You can’t compare to him scrub,” he wrote.
Jackson also went on to emphasize that LeBron and Doc Rivers were never on the same level, and so isn’t Bronny and Austin Rivers, writing, “And your daddy not LeBron. Shut up.”
What did Austin Rivers say about Bronny James?
Earlier on Monday, Austin Rivers voiced his candid thoughts on Bronny James’ potential and the plausibility of the youngster playing alongside his father in the future.
On NBA Today, Rivers warned LeBron Jr. of the high expectations that will be set for the young player and encouraged him to start his career on a different pathway from his father.
“I don’t want to see Bronny play with his dad. I really don’t,” Rivers said. “I went through something similar. What happens is a lot of people begin to discredit what you’ve done.”
Rivers emphasized that he doesn’t want Bronny to face similar negativity and believes he deserves to establish his own identity without being overshadowed by his father’s legacy. He mentioned that Bronny isn’t currently projected as a top draft pick, unlike Rivers who was highly touted, and he hopes Bronny can play for a team where he can carve out his own path and identity.
Despite his concerns, Rivers made it clear that he is a fan of Bronny and wishes him success in his basketball career.
