Crossover: Bronny James is the Only One Benefiting from Nepotism

Willard and Krueger join Steiny and Guru for a Thursday edition of The Crossover. The guys discuss Bronny James in the Lakers and discuss nepotism in sports. The Warriors front office is full of nepotism, too, isn’t it?

Download the Audacy app to never miss any of your favorite 957 The Game content:
https://go.audacy.com/y-listen-live-957thegame

Listen live: https://www.audacy.com/957thegame/listen
Visit our website: https://www.957thegame.com
Subscribe on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/957thegame
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/957thegame
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/957thegame
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/957thegame/
Join our Newsletter: https://www.audacy.com/957thegame/join-our-clubs/mvp-club

game okay so at the end of the crossover today and welcome in Mark Willard and Larry Kruger to The Crossover at the end of the crossover about 210 you’re going to have a chance to win incredible Prize Package it’s a uh Bay Area Panthers Prize Package first of all they have a game on July 13th at sap Center downtown San Jose if you want tickets to that game uh go to Bay Area panthers.com right now but here’s the thing at the end of the crossover you have a chance to win four premium seats for a playoff game four VIP field passes one Panthers jersey and then a pair of season tickets for 2025 at the end of the crossover we’re going to give you a keyword that you’re going to text to 20357 that enters you in the drawing so at the end I’m going to give you a word a keyword and you text it to 20357 for a chance at that super Prize Package involving the Bay Area Panthers what’s going on gentlemen well done what’s up well we you know bronny Bron button bronny came up got heated he not heated at all I know but see now I am a P1 but I missed this I miss this part okay let’s stick to LeBron not the Lakers look like fools any of that all right I don’t see any difference not one single difference essentially from what LeBron is doing and trying to do for his son as what Joe lob is doing for Kirk lob I think I agree with you what how would you extend that when you what what is it that they’re doing they’re they’re using their influence and their power to uh try to get what you know to try to give their kid an opportunity to do what they’ve they’re doing and have done I only see one difference off the top that’s is a pretty layered comment but but I I see one difference off the top Joe lob owns the company he hired now here’s my here’s my other analogy does not here’s my other analogy it would be maybe that’s a and again but this this is sticking to just the father you’re a father you got a kid who just graduated from college I’d have done all of these things 100 in a row exactly 100 times and you have juice like the biggest radio guy who’s ever been on you have that kind of juice you go to nean and you say hey let’s give uh uh Jude abude Jude or hey uh I want to get Jude I want to get Jude my daughter I want to get Jude in here yeah well Mar well okay fine he talks more than I do fine anyway you know what try not to get him in here okay I’ll walk okay we’ll get him in here you know what we’ll give him nights on Sundays we’ll you know we’ll give him a Runway I mean it’s like what’s the difference I wouldn’t hesitate for one second I would I mean my oldest son started working last summer and he is an introvert he is not what I would call like somebody who’s this go-getter who can walk into a room and look people in the eye and talk to them yet or maybe ever I don’t know if he ever will be some people are very comfortable in a room some aren’t um he wanted he loves golf he’s a great high school golfer he wanted to work at a golf course did I make some calls you damn well better believe I did he works at a golf course there’s a big difference of I would do it I would do what LeBron did no I understand doing whatever you can to help your kid but um putting somebody in a job they don’t deserve in a spot they don’t deserve is not right okay does that go for the corate world it would be no different than the than that that Felicity who lied about her kid so she could get her kid into some school her kid didn’t deserve to get into except for there was a lie there I don’t think there was any lie here yeah but but but it’s the same thing you’re taking somebody who doesn’t have the credentials and you’re putting them in that spot and you’re really doing them a disservice because you’re asking them the rest of us think they’re deserving of that spot but in reality they have no they’re not deserving of that spot a five a 510 guy who should average Four Points a game for SC should not believe should not be in the NBA draft and guys who are just I don’t know um you know basketball Enthusiast sons of billionaires should not be front office people exactly so I I think you can say the exact same thing about everything with would you say the same thing about Joe L you’re I listen you are right it’s not about LeBron listen nobody cares about the lake up in the corporate model there’s no radio station doing talking about corporate in the draft that’s why this is so egregious LeBron is awesome for doing this I would do it in a nepotism exists everywhere and now we’re seeing it in a way we’re seeing it away we haven’t seen into Tim TBO and what I mean is it’s not Bonnie’s fault but when I turn on my television you can tell me we’ll turn it to a different station the coverage now Larry does not he hasn’t earned it now dad put him in this position I went out there Sunday and it’s like everybody’s looking at bronnie like you know you don’t belong but I get it good dad he earned that but don’t tell me it’s the same as the corporate world when that happens all the time every day now I got to watch my shows for leading off Willer with bronny Knowing damn well he’s not worthy and I just as a dad feel bad for bronnie allar but there are pie TV part of it doesn’t mean anything to me but that’s inevitable that’s inevitable the has nobody talks about we talking about LeBron we’re talking about your corporate example nobody talks about it so what it doesn’t the issue at hand Remains the Same yeah but it happens all day every day Willard this one does not happen LeBron’s his dad and there’s nothing you can do about that like love it okay we we know about Charlie Woods and his amateur rise through golf why’s really good yeah but but but there are others who are just as good and we don’t know a damn thing about him at age 14 like he was born to LeBron James so sorry you’re going to be in the Fishbowl that’s just the way it works I would no I was just going to say I would argue the part that he’s like what you just said L quote not qualified for yeah the party’s not qualified for is not the draft it’s the contract already so LeBron didn’t do that the Lakers did that and I know you want me to remove the Lakers from will did LeBron do that you know what I mean he did all of this the four years he did all of this so is he qualified to be the 55th overall pick I guess not but then again at 55 overall you’re also um you’re just drafting a prospect and you’re hoping that it turns into this that and the other we learned with Trace Jackson Davis there’s all kinds of weird stuff going on in the second round where guys are like well but can I sign you will you take a two-way or you won’t take a two-way all right then we’re not taking you even though the whole damn world knew he was one of the top 25 players in the draft he went at 57 so like I I I don’t know how to sort of quantify that but to have him walk into the room and get four guaranteed years I wouldn’t even have done that I mean it is crazy and and that’s the part can’t that’s why you can’t feel sorry I mean like goo I I I basically agree with you but I can’t feel I’m not feeling sorry for LeBron’s kid not like9 million what LeBron did on his level right is exactly the same as Joe lob hiring Kirk lob and saying you know what Kirk we’re going to start you out at 29 90,000 the first year you do a good job we’ll bump you up to 310 then we’ll go to 350 and then we’ll take a look at it after the whole you here’s the thing about this we have one perspective because there’s it’s like a victim victimless crime but in reality there is some really really good basketball player who’s not getting a job because just like a young ex that young exec the young executive does well I just mentioned that that’s what I hate about hold on though you don’t need to be drafted to have an opportunity to play in the league like all he did was take a draft slot he didn’t take a roster slot and he got a four-year contract that we could all look each other in the face as you just mentioned and okay like y’all doing it to feel like the whole thing feels like a joke again from the Lakers perspective but if you ask me to be in LeBron’s shoes I like and I would do the same thing as Le my my biggest beef is not with the the nepotism it’s with ESPN and their draft Knight coverage they’re all down is like the softest guy in America but he’s downright powerful and indignant when some how dare you call this nepotism what see that’s what we’re talking nepotism just cuz you’ve decided to plant your head you know a foot of LeBron’s ass doesn’t mean that it’s not nepotism well he I mean listen he gets the breaking news how do you think he gets it how do you think he and say pressure points I don’t want to hear about nepotism like if people want to know how wo came to be the guy that always gets the story first I I like I can promise you pressure points it’s the same thing LeBron James just did to the Lakers pressure points why is Nick Kerr the head coach of the Santa Cru Warriors it’s great great question is he the most qualified coach in America that gig guess who’s the guess who’s the program director of the most powerful sports radio station in the country yeah Spike esin Ian esin why does that name sound fam Daddy’s Howard Howard esin like as in Won’t You Kiss Me Howard esin from the other day but guys why doesn’t thate it just always is the example you just used about coaching in Santa Cruz or the corporate world I just to me there’s nothing more sacred and harder than making a pro league whatever so those don’t hold up to and you guys are right they apply but nothing holds up to my son who couldn’t even ball out in USC I’m not he’s not ready nor big enough and sty brought this point up Well Guru in four years maybe but that’s still and the you you didn’t earn that we’ll bet on you to come you know what I mean it’s just like and now I turn my TV on and sty real quick you can say this turn it and watch something else it’s he’s leading the stuff and that’s why I would say it’s Tebo like cuz he’s not worthy it’s offensive because Sports is thought of as the ultimate meritocracy right that’s why just like capitalism is supposed just like capitalism is supposed to be but it’s not exactly it’s not like some sports more than others golf was and then live has come along and that’s started to to to filter away you you know but Sports has never been a meritocracy are you telling me that the undrafted free agent wide receivers got the same shot as Ricky pears oh no no no why money what about NASCAR all all those guys named Petty also are all awesome drivers or maybe is it just that maybe dad was yeah like I sometimes I think we get high and mighty about stuff that is beyond inevitable and Beyond a part of our society but we haven’t seen this version in Pro this big in our face probably not but we haven’t seen LeBron James before unless you want to say Michael Jordan but Michael didn’t even like that was a different world he probably would say I don’t want to do it that way player empowerment wasn’t where it was then like this is the LeBron did this he has done this if you look at what this is which is use my platform and power to get what I want he’s done it every year of his entire career he’s telling every single year sorry you’re listening to 957 the game kgmz FM and HD1 s Francisco always live on the free Odyssey app twitch and YouTube powered by first NorCal Credit Union I I actually think that there’s part of this where it’s the 55th pick in the draft okay and there’s bronny okay and he’s not very good yeah I think there’s a scenario which it’s like who do you like who cares at this point but look at brony’s Dad look what he turned into and I get it he was a Manchild early but incredible but like I would like I’m not taking off the table that bronnie may end up a pro player just because I agree with that he could get better well not only you’re talking about the physical part like here’s one thing that I would argue is what leads to so many misses in drafts is that you can sit anybody Larry you know this better than anyone you can sit there and go I get it I see this physical tool I don’t see that physical tool but what can you not know on draft day you cannot and just like the ability to handle right you can’t the ability to handle professional sports media talking about you pressure people throwing things at you booing you the mental side of it there’s really no way like can you handle going across the country being away from Mom and Dad getting millions of dollars at age 21 can you handle all of that that’s a huge question bronny can like I would AR Bron’s been around it his entire life he’s had more media coverage by the time he arrives at the draft then the rest of the draf combined and I guess see here’s the thing I love about it though for Joe Lup and and putting his kids in the front office they’re never going to have their judgment day or maybe you could say they already did I mean they Allan smile a GE and were puffing out their chest about smile a GE and smile a GE this um but you know the nice thing about Brony situation is LeBron can set him up all he wants and he can have you know Genie th thumbs up the draft and green light the whole thing he can have silver every he’s can have everybody associated with the NBA ESPN thumbs up but guess what kid’s going to still going to have to go out there and he’s going to have to stay in front of Steph Curry or John Morant and if he gets lost and burned and and beaten badly ain’t nothing Daddy’s going to be able to do for him so you know what be careful what you wish for you know what I wanted my kid to go to Harvard but my kid wasn’t really Harvard material but I forced her way into Harvard and now she’s got a C minus average and not a great op opinion of herself because I put her in a in a pond she couldn’t swim in I somebody hit this and the idea of but look look at all the attention and I was like yeah well he doesn’t deserve but it’s like now now put yourself in Lebron Bron’s position he’s like I’ve been getting this all my life that’s what you get with LeBron’s being LeBron’s son I can’t walk to Starbucks so it’s like that part of it hey bronnie you you’re on Sports Center every single day he’s like yeah I don’t even watch it I I’ve I knew that since I was 12 years old the cameras always follow me around but my thing I shouldn’t have to watch him what about the forgive me Le you know Willard that’s all it’s about do I got to live it every day that I know you got a scholarship I would say this like that comes up a lot and it’s a chicken of the egg thing for me with regard to blame the media versus blame the public because I’m not blaming bronnie or Lebron well but bronnie is being fed to us I would argue because we don’t give a rip about any of the other draes so like when we get M mad don’t give us this no no no give us this they know that’s what we’re asking for look at us today the draft was a week and a half ago two weeks ago name name six other players who were drafted who do you want to hear about talk about flag more flag has even not eligible for the draft yet you know like I it’s like that’s what what is out there for our consumption is there because y’all ask for it wow wow you know what I mean why don’t we talk about the A’s goo yeah why don’t we talk about the A’s cuz there’s always eight people listening at any given time like talk about the A’s do you know why we don’t talk about the A’s why why because the rest of you John in Oakland or whatever your name is right now all of the other humans listening don’t care and I’m sorry don’t blame us I I didn’t confess this to steiny but Larry I’m about to do it so Sunday uh I go with Bon over to chase to watch bronnie I’m addicted to social media it’s my new TV my new best friend I’m wanted too much but why when I found out he wasn’t playing I was upset when I drove home solo I said you’re what you say you don’t like why did I come watch the kid knowing that I know he doesn’t have the goods but I wanted to be a part of the party he was playing to almost watch the train wreck like I was ashamed I think that’s that’s what reality TV is it’s the buzz anyway yeah boy think love is coming from The Bachelor we sign up to watch the train wreck I’m just man I’m disappointed in myself Larry but you know you don’t see this you know I mean I don’t I can’t remember anybody in any other sport doing this I mean did did um Pete Rose Jr who played baseball he didn’t he wasn’t like he sudden you know what I’m glad you mentioned that I’ll tell you this you damn right Rocky calvito got Stevie Jr a TR out okay now to that extent right did he go right and know I get the people are H uh you know hung up on the four-year contract but it’s still can he do it here’s your opportunity right can you do it and you got four years I would have loved this and and I I get that it’s not reality I would have loved to see the game of chicken play out if the Lakers were like no not doing that go he could have been in another uniform and I would love to see the Lakers call that bluff cuz dude that would be the end the only reason he is a Laker is because of Hollywood geography and where he wanted his sons to play and I would have loved the Lakers to look at him and be like dude where are you going to go you’re 40 serly you’re going to take all your kids with you you’re going to leave these aaou programs in LA but they loved him that much you’re going to leave Blaze Pizza like well I mean come on there’s another part of this equation for the Lakers it was low stakes exactly it was low stakes it’s a 57th round or 57th pick in the draft no that was that was last year the 57th pick became oh yeah the Warriors starting center exactly okay so I mean you can get a good player there well you can but like to me and I get it like why was somebody determined that James wisman was worth a number two pick that their int so I’m going to believe that they think LeBron’s kid at 55 can turn into a functional player but if I ask you who’s not a scout steiny or Willard have you watched him play it’s apparent to where I’m not I’m going to do the same thing with WIS the difference is the money the difference is the money because here’s the thing I mean look at it compared to the NFL ter owens’s kid was in the draft ter owens’s kid did not deserve to be picked and was not picked the 49ers Terell owens’s former team did sign Terell Owen’s son and gave him a 90 man roster spot this summer now you could argue that there’s some other more deserving player who of 90 who’s not getting a 90 man 90 man spot but the difference is they’re not giving Tariq Owens millions of dollars in a contract where the Lakers isn’t that money they just signed Brony to isn’t that guaranteed money guaranteed money guaranteed me that’s where Dad probably said I’ll pay it for little crazy the the juice that LeBron has cannot be compared to almost any other I’m celebrating him for that just look at bronny James like Udonis Haslam the last four years he took up a roster spot he ear that to be able to take up a roster SP could couldn’t I couldn’t I also say this though like if if the Lakers this is to answer you steiny if the Lakers really do believe this guy’s a prospect wouldn’t they drafted him the first round would You’ been scared that someone else was going to take him at aren’t you guys at all concerned about the the the precedent this sets as far as non-deserving players who do draw a large audience on social media are now thought to be good value in the second round of the NBA draft do that unless your dad is up there unless it’s Canon Curry or you know what I mean like your dad has to be AER but what if what if all of a sudden there’s some freaking nature and there’s all kinds of ways you could be a freaking nature but let’s just say there’s some freaking nature who also doesn’t deserve to be in the league but he’s a freak of nature and the same way that you know Larry Larry David wanted to look at the freaks book in the back of the limo somebody people want to buy tickets to go watch the freak the scenario and he’s not even a player superar only have to still be good at age 40 I mean like the scenario playing out again is pretty wild that’s their dream and they’re going to play on a real game and he’s going to pass it to his son he was like well goo he might be in the G League no he’s not he’s going to be on the roster see if the three of us can keep talking long enough to make Ste off his neck roll out the room it’s actually about the panther stuff I know it is I know it is I know exactly what it’s about okay it’s time to qualify for the amazing Bay Area Panthers Prize Package here’s what you have an opportunity to get four premium seats for a playoff game four VIP field passes one Bay Area Panthers jersey and a pair of 2025 season tickets the keyword is Guru gu ruu text Guru to 20357 and that’ll give you a chance to win that super Prize Package keyword Guru guu to 20357 and you know what I’ll end it this way you never know what can happen didn’t Tommy Lort draft a a nephew of his in the last round you know what Sund Mike Piaza he turned out pretty good on 957 well you can stay5 the 415 Rich Paul telling all the NBA teams don’t draft bronnie because he won’t play for you that’s what you gets me mad you’re not that good he didn’t do that he told Bob Meers to say it on TV so it sounded like people wanted him you didn’t have to tell those teams bronny told those teams it’s like I average Four Points a game they’re like we got it we heard all right now you can get I’m 510 I can’t play a lick all right draa me okay