LeBron Leaves the Lakers and the Internet Immediately Turns on Bronny James

The moment the news broke that LeBron James was leaving the Los Angeles Lakers, the internet didn’t waste any time. And Bronny James was the target.

Fans started firing off memes almost immediately after reports surfaced Tuesday that LeBron informed the Lakers he’d be signing with another team. The Golden State Warriors have been the loudest suitor, but whispers about a possible Miami Heat reunion are getting louder by the hour.

Bronny, who just got a guaranteed contract from the Lakers worth over $2 million for the upcoming season, took the brunt of the jokes. One viral post showed a meme of Bronny trying to swipe into the Lakers training facility the day after his dad walked out the door. Another used a clip from Home Alone—Savannah James realizing they left Bronny behind with the Lakers, like Kevin McCallister getting forgotten at home.

Fresh Prince jokes and dad leaving town

There was even a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reference, with LeBron dropping a classic Will Smith line on Bronny after the kid said he couldn’t believe they were leaving. The whole thing played out like a sketch comedy bit, except it was real life.

The timing couldn’t be worse for Bronny. He literally just secured a guaranteed deal on Monday. And now his dad is gone. The Lakers haven’t commented on whether Bronny’s role changes now that LeBron isn’t in the building, but the speculation is pretty obvious.

Bronny showed real flashes last season. He shot 38.6 percent from three on low volume — 1.4 attempts per game — and actually got playoff minutes in the Houston series. CBS Sports noted he held his own as a 3-and-D guard off the bench, which is probably his best path to sticking around the league long-term.

But without LeBron’s shadow looming, the pressure might actually drop. Or it might get worse. Hard to tell.

What happens now for Bronny

The Lakers are now officially LeBron-less for the first time since 2018. The franchise is in some sort of weird limbo. Bronny’s development is now their problem, not a side project for a legend’s son. He’ll get a real look this season, and maybe that’s the best thing that could happen for him.

Or maybe the memes keep coming. Fans online aren’t exactly giving him the benefit of the doubt. One clip that’s been circling shows Bronny walking into the Lakers facility with a look on his face that reads like a man who just realized his biggest ally just booked a flight out of town.

We’ll see how the roster shakes out. Training camp starts in a few months. By then, LeBron will be wearing a different jersey and Bronny will have to prove he belongs in the NBA on his own terms. No more daddy’s boy jokes. Well, probably still some daddy’s boy jokes.