Bryce James, son of NBA superstar LeBron James, recently revealed his top five NBA players of all time, surprising many by leaving out Stephen Curry.
Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesStephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena
As LeBron James approaches another milestone—playing his first game for the Los Angeles Lakers alongside his son Bronny James—the excitement around the James family continues to grow. Bronny, who was drafted by the Lakers in the second round with the 55th overall pick, will make history by becoming the first father-son duo to play together in the NBA.
However, it’s LeBron’s second son, Bryce, who is sparking debate by naming his top five NBA players of all time, notably excluding Stephen Curry. While Bronny has been making headlines for his own basketball prowess, Bryce has also been catching the attention of basketball fans, not just for his emerging talent but for his controversial opinions.
In a recent clip released by Uninterrupted, Bryce shared his top five NBA players of all time, which included LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Russell Westbrook, and Carmelo Anthony—omitting Stephen Curry.
5 Times LeBron James Humiliated Others On And Off The Court
Both Bronny and Bryce agree that their father is the greatest basketball player of all time, but Bryce’s inclusion of Russell Westbrook, who has faced heavy criticism for his declining performance in recent seasons, raised eyebrows.
LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts with Bronny James and Bryce James after scoring to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Harry How/Getty Images
Who are the greatest in NBA history according to Bronny?
In an interview with ESPN, Bronny James was also asked to rank his top five NBA players of all time, and his picks were just as controversial. Notably absent from Bronny’s list were legends like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul–Jabbar, and even Kobe Bryant. Bronny’s ranking: “LeBron (James) is 1. Steph (Curry) 2. Kyrie (Irving) 3. KD (Kevin Durant) in 4. Ant (Anthony Edwards) and Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander) tied at 5.”
Back in June, Stephen Curry shared his own top five players of his era on his father’s podcast, Heat Check. “I’m gonna go basically from 2009-23. Bron, KD, Kawhi. Every time you do this, you’re gonna miss somebody… Obviously myself… There’s like a group of like four that I’m picking from right now and it’s really, really, really, really, really hard… I’m gonna say James,” Curry said. His final list, in no particular order: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kawhi Leonard.
Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist, fluent in English and Spanish, specializing in soccer, the NBA, and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 with Mundo Deportivo US, where he made his initial strides as a writer. Gianni has covered major sports events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tournaments like Roland Garros. His ability to report on real-time events and write under pressure has established him as a valuable member of a top-tier team of journalists. In 2024, he joined Bolavip US, where he covers a wide range of sports, including European soccer, MLS, and the NBA. Gianni earned his degree in Communication from Deportea in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Los Angeles Lakers selected Bronny James in the 2024 Draft. The focus is on Bronny’s development and the possibility of Bryce James joining the NBA in the future, as LeBron nears the end of his legendary career.
LeBron, Bryce and Bronny James,LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts with Bronny James and Bryce James after scoring to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing Abdul-Jabbar’s career total of 38,387 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The 2024 NBA Draft marked a historic milestone for the Los Angeles Lakers by selecting Bronny James, LeBron James’ eldest son, with the 55th pick. While the decision generated skepticism in some quarters, the reality is that Bronny, at just 19 years old, has time to develop and prove himself.
The initial plan for Bronny is for him to continue his development with the South Bay Lakers during his rookie season, accumulating experience and pace of play that he didn’t have in his only college season.
Right now, the focus isn’t just on Bronny, as his younger brother, Bryce James, is also turning heads as a promising prospect at the high school level, and the question mark has been raised about the possibility of playing together.
The possibility of a LeBron-Bronny and the unknown of Bryce
While the idea of seeing LeBron and Bronny share the NBA court is exciting, the possibility of Bryce joining them in the future seems more remote. Even though LeBron James has proven his longevity by playing 71 games last season at age 39, with the expectation of playing at least two more seasons, time is ticking and his career is nearing the end.
Bryce James #5 of the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers warms up before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Cleveland High School on November 19, 2022 in Reseda, California. Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images
With LeBron James entering his 20th season and about to turn 40, it’s unlikely that his career will extend much beyond the two seasons that are expected. This is why the Lakers are looking for young talent to usher in a new era for the franchise.
