National Basketball Association

Does Bronny James possess a greater 'clutch gene' than LeBron?

Published Jul. 4, 2024 7:53 p.m. ET

FOX Sports commentator Skip Bayless raised a few eyebrows on Thursday after he suggested he believes newly-signed Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James has a greater "clutch gene" than his father LeBron.

"I think Bronny is built even tougher than his father is, because Bronny's been through a lot in his life," Bayless began.

"[He's] been in the harshest spotlight any kid could ever be thrust into as LeBron James Jr."

Bayless praised the way Bronny has handled his life in the limelight as well as the way he's calmly embraced the circus that has followed his journey to the pros.

Bronny was selected by the Lakers with the 55th pick in the NBA Draft and will join his father as the first father-son duo to play together after signing a four-year, $7.9 million deal.

"I get a good feeling every time I watch him, not only play basketball — but just handle himself, carry himself," Bayless continued.

Skip says Bronny may have a bigger clutch gene than LeBron | The Skip Bayless Show

Bayless also predicted Bronny will become a "clutch" 3-point shooter for the Lakers, before declaring, "I've always gotten the feeling that Bronny had a bigger clutch gene than his father does."

While the 19-year-old and his strong backbone have impressed the "Skip Bayless Show" host, his comments about Bronny being a more clutch player than his 39-year-old, four-time NBA championship-winning dad, did not sit well with some fans.

"I think he'll be more cool, calm and collected in the eye of next year's storm than even his father will be," Bayless continued. "I think he'll play pretty well alongside his father."

Bayless believes newly-minted coach JJ Reddick is going to have a tough time balancing the former USC Trojan's playing time with the egos of the rest of the team, but he believes Bronny could be a difference maker.

LeBron recently re-signed with the Lakers on a two-year, $104 million deal.

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