The Lakers drafting Bronny James within the second spherical has thrown a highlight on nepotism and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s brother and Bucks bench participant, Thanasis, is aware of all too properly how Bronny feels.
LeBron and Bronny’s agent, Wealthy Paul, advised TMZ that even when Bronny’s identify was “John Smith” he would have been drafted.
As for Thanasis, he has turn out to be a strolling meme due to his standing as Giannis’ much less gifted older brother.
A number of occasions, The NBA on TNT crew have spoken about how they suppose Thanasis solely has a roster spot with Milwaukee due to his final identify.
However, Thanasis sees it in another way.
“You realize you see individuals say stuff on-line, I’m like guys when you actually knew you’d be like what” Thanasis mentioned on Bootleg Kev podcast. “So Giannis will get drafted, and in the identical draft that Giannis will get drafted, I had an agent on the time, I used to be the very best man at his wedding ceremony, they name him and go, “Hey, is Thanasis within the draft”. That is two days earlier than. He goes, “No, he’s not within the draft” they go, “Rattling we’d’ve picked him at quantity 52 with Brooklyn. I am going like what, they might’ve picked me. Thoughts you I’ve no paper work, nothing, I didn’t do nothing it’s important to submit all the pieces. I’m like man, Giannis get drafted first spherical, that 12 months, identical 12 months.”
Giannis’ brother has discovered a manner for the criticism to be taken as a praise.
“That’s a praise as a result of which means I’m a superb individual,” Thanasis mentioned. “No person provides you nothing in the event that they don’t such as you, initially. You bought to convey one thing to the desk. I truly like Charles Barkley, and I truly like Shaq…The factor is, what occurs is, some youngsters imagine that.”
Bronny, just like Thanasis, is copping flak as a result of LeBron had a hand in drafting him and Stephen A. Smith not too long ago fired again at these critics.
“We stay in a rustic the place nepotism has taken place with white of us religiously, perpetually,” Smith mentioned on ESPN. We’ve mentioned little to nothing about it. Within the NBA particularly, in a league the place at the least 70 % of the gamers are Black, we’ve seen nepotism with white of us in all places – possession, government ranks, participant personnel, scouting, teaching, the checklist goes on and on. We’ve mentioned little to nothing about it. And now this occurs with LeBron James, a member of the Mount Rushmore of basketball, and hastily you’ve received individuals operating their mouths.
“…Bronny James wouldn’t be on an NBA roster if it weren’t for LeBron James. Everyone knows this. We settle for it. The difficulty is the resentment that’s emanating from individuals on the market. How dare you resent LeBron James…America, not everyone, not most, however lots of people are about, ‘Keep in your home, keep in your lane.’ And LeBron James has religiously been in regards to the enterprise of defining his personal lane.”