While the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers have officially opened a new NBA season on Tuesday night, Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James was catching strays during pregame.
Comedian and actor Tracy Morgan was being interviewed by the NBC Sports broadcast team and called out James on national television.
“Bronny looks like he’s got JUCO ball written all over him,” Morgan said.
Morgan followed up his statement on James by saying, “I just want to say what I feel. What you want?”
Morgan, 57, who is a well-known, passionate Knicks fan, is watching his team play James’ father, LeBron James, who is currently playing in his first game as a member of the 76ers after he departed from the Lakers over the summer.
Before he was talking about Bronny, Morgan was saying that the Knicks are not “Scared of nobody.”
While Bronny James was being scrutinized, it came after he just made the Lakers’ opening night roster, as the team elected to keep him over small forward Dalton Knecht.
The decision on keeping Bronny James over Knecht came down to the wire for Los Angeles, as both of them were excused from attending Monday’s practice.
Both came out of the 2024 NBA Draft, when Los Angeles selected Knecht in the first round and then took Bronny James in the second round.
When Knecht first joined the team, he was regularly in the Lakers’ starting rotation, but injuries would shortly accumulate, and he was never the same.
Bronny James has spent time back and forth between the G League and the Lakers’ active roster.
Last season, he saw an increase of playing time, by appearing in 42 games and averaging 8.9 minutes per game, 2.9 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists.
Through the preseason this year, Bronny James’ production has trended downward, scoring only 11 points in five games, while averaging 16.4 minutes per game.
As the Lakers are set to usher in a new era of basketball — playing without LeBron James for the first time in eight years — the 2026-2027 season will be a make-or-break year for Bronny.
The Lakers will open their season against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night when they tip off at 7:00 p.m. PT.
