Do We Really Care About Nepotism?

Zach & Zack fill in for Levack & Goz to discuss the Bronny nepotism, also do we really care or do we care because its Lebron 

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
It's Lavac and Gozz on ninety fivenine Fox Sports Radio, Freston Peace,
Lavacken Gus. Oh wait, that'snot how that song goes. Wait wait

(00:24):
no, but this is Lavac andGozz on Fox Sports ninety five nine and
nine. But instead of Lovak andgods in the chair, it is Zach
and Zach with Zach Squared. I'mZach with a K. You are Zach
with an H. Big going throughall of the biggest stories in sports right
now, and none are bigger thanthis one. And yes, I am

(00:44):
moving on from that intro. That'show it does go for You're the only
father that I ever knew. I'llbe a father. I'm gonna be a
better you. That is how itworks. With the junior thing is like,
because I'm the coming up guys,does that mean I have to like,
at some point we have to battleit out to see who overcomes one

(01:06):
another. See I understand why I'mhere co hosting. Mm hmm. What
I'm trying to figure out is whyyou're here co hosting with me? Is
it because your baby? Guys?You know? I mean, that's a
question a lot of people are askingright now, especially when it comes to

(01:26):
lebron James and mister Bronni James,is he really on the Lakers because he's
supposed to be or is he onthe Lakers because his dad's on the Lakers?
And I know we talked a littlebit about this yesterday with Trevor lean
who covers the Lakers for Lakers Nition. By the way, thank you for
coming on. Great interview as always, but you had a lot to talk

(01:49):
about this. We were talking offair about this and I wanted to bring
it on air. I thought itwas a good conversation. I'm gonna let
you just go in then I'll followyou. Yes. So a lot of
people are very critical of this,as am I, because it's kind of
just classic nepotism. I mean,from the way scouts had been talking about

(02:10):
Brownie James. He was never someonethat anyone was saying, oh, he's
a top guy, and I reallythink that he's gonna go in the first
round or anything like that. Noone really believed that going into the draft.
We know, we thought maybe hemight get drafted, he might end
up as you know, somebody's benchplayer, and you know, maybe over

(02:35):
time he'll evolve and get into theNBA as a starter, whatever, whatever,
whatever. He goes out and getsdrafted fifty fifth overall in the second
round to the Lakers, his dreamteam that his dad is on, And
I feel like no one can lookat this and say that it's anything other

(02:57):
than nepotism. You were bringing aguy up just because of who his dad
is and the fact that his dadis still playing. This is a guy
who is labeled as a quote unquotedefensive specialist. We are in the NBA
at this point in the NBA's lifespan. How much are we really valuing a
defensive specialist who scores four point eightpoints a game, who has a thirty

(03:23):
six percent field goal shot, whois a twenty six percent field goal shooter,
a sixty percent free throw shooter.Why are these stats what we're using
as our You know, oh,you know, he's good enough to be
in the NBA, But that buttshouldn't exist in my book. I understand

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nepotism happens across sports, happens prettymuch in every aspect of things, But
I feel like, when you havemillions of dollars on the line and you're
playing with things like draft picks,you are supposed to be trying to build
something for a better team, liketry to build you know, guys up
and try and create a team inorder to really finish the goal, which

(04:11):
is win championships, which, unlessI'm misremembering, I'm pretty sure the Celtics
won and you didn't. So whyyou're out of here doing a publicity stun
with your draft picks seems a littleodd to me. I can understand your
point of view, so specifically,you are not for this move at all.

(04:34):
I understand it, bothered by it, but I'm bothered and I don't
think it's a good look or agood way to go about it. This
is my response to what you justsaid is one of the most insanely idiotic
things I have ever heard. Atno point in your rambling, incoherent response

(04:55):
were you even close to anything thatcould be considered a rational thought. Everyone
in this room is now dumber forhaving listened to it. That's exactly how
I feel, Okay, because forme, honestly, I wish I could
swear right now because I don't givea leap that his dad got him into

(05:18):
the NBA. Don't care at all. You know why, because it happens
everywhere m hm, why are wehosting this show because we are very good
friends with the vacant gods? Theyasked us, the host, could I
say, why is JJ Reddick headcoach of the Lakers? Why is Genie

(05:44):
Buss the owner of the Lakers.Why are the Steinbrenners the owner of the
Yankees. It happens everywhere. Yourbrother's sister's mother's cousin might be at some
law firm as a legal assistant whenthey're probably not qualified outside of being what

(06:10):
you would say a surgeon. Yeah, we call them family businesses. It
happens everywhere. It happens in sports, it happens outside of sports. I
asked you to co host with mebecause you're a good friend and I appreciate

(06:30):
your company. Is that a nepotism? Clearly not because you didn't value my
opinion, But I think you docome at it with a great idea and
a great point for it, whichis regardless of if this is nepotism or
not, it is at some levelgood for the game. I just think
I'm outraged by the outrage. I'moutraged by the outrage because where were these

(06:58):
people? And J R. Smithwas on the Knicks and his brother Chris
Smith, who had no reason,no business being anywhere near a court,
even has a fan paying for aseat, and he was signed to the
team. Where was this outrage WhenGiannisntanan Kupo got all of his brothers to

(07:21):
the NBA, all of them refuseto sign deals unless you sign my brother
refused to sign with certain brands unlessyou signed with my brother. Like brothers,
whatever, where is this outrage?Well, here's my question to you.

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Then, if Lebron had been ifBRONI excuse me, had been drafted
to another team and Lebron made ithis mission to be traded to that team
by the Lakers, would you stillbe the day what you're saying. Would
you still feel the same way?No, because there was an option for
them to get to that team withoutrequesting and be traded because he just stopped

(08:05):
out of his contract to sign anextension with the Lakers. Eventually, I
know I just poked a hole inyour whole entire theory, but I get
what you're saying, though he stillis leaving the Lakers for that period,
and I still think that that hasto be addressed as far as he's just
doing what he wants and now whatany organization or any league is actually telling

(08:26):
him if he should or couldn't do. Like I said, I'm just outrage
about the outrage because it's always beenabout in life who you know. It's
not about what you can do,it's about who you know. That American
dream of hard work pays off.Hard work does pay off, but a

(08:46):
lot of it's about who you knowthat helps it pay off. Now,
do I think Bronnie should have beendrafted to Lakers. No, there was
other options there at that time,But being the fifty fifth pick and sixty
picks do I really got to bemad at it. That's the other thing,

(09:09):
And that is one thing that Iwill say. You know, Pat
Maxie made a great point to say, this is probably the most attention of
second round draft pick has ever gotten. Did they trade up for him?
Did they send valuable assets to gethim? No? They got their guy
in Dalton connect in the first roundfifty fifth pick, which I know we

(09:31):
went through the discussion of Nicola Jociceand Draymond Green, but those are anomalies.
Those are crap shoots. When itcomes to the second round, not
everybody's going to be a stud Soat what point do you say, I
got one of the best players inbasketball. I know things haven't been that

(09:52):
great. Let me make my starhappy. It's not just about managing the
game, it's about managing egos.So for that reason, call it nepo,
whatever you want to call it,I'm okay with it. I am
going to make my star happy.Could we call it nepo? When the

(10:13):
Knicks went out and sent five draftpicks for Michel Bridges? You know it?
Where does it start? Where doesit end? With you? I
just like I said, I'm moreoutraged about the outrage overall because it could
have been used in so many differentdirections at so many different times. And

(10:35):
because it's Lebron, Because it's LebronJames, the quote unquote king of basketball,
we're now supposed to be outraged aboutit. Well, I think that's
I think what you've just said iswhy the outrage exists. The outrage exists
because he's the king of basketball,and this was the primary It was just
on full display for everyone to witness. It was the primary thing that was

(11:00):
occurring in the sport right now,and it had Lebron pasted all over it.
Now Obviously it was the Lakers thatmade the decision. Yep. But
I think for people, they justreally saw that the Lakers, and I'm
not saying that they should, butthey showed that the Lakers just didn't care.
The Lakers didn't care how it looked. They didn't care what you know,

(11:24):
what it could be, what couldbe said regarding the fact that you
kind of had a player who ison the lower tier for someone to be
selected for the NBA and to justgo, yeah, no, we don't
really care what any of you think. We're just doing this for lebron I
will let you know there was draftsbefore the college basketball season started that did

(11:48):
have Bronny going out just outside thelottery. HM. Now, obviously he
had the heart condition. I willsay, I know you don't watch a
lot of college basketball. USC wasa future pick. He should have never
went to USC. The head coachwas a mess, that team was a
mess. It was a bad fitoverall. I do think there is some

(12:11):
talent there. And I'm gonna throwa name out to you and you might
not be too familiar with it,but if he's Avery Bradley, if he's
one of the better defenders in theleague and he could score eight to ten
points on a given night. Beokay with that? I'd be okay with
that. I think that he isgoing to have some work to do to
get to that point, absolutely,But I think that is where he should

(12:37):
find his niche in the NFL NBAhome Absolutely, And you just are hoping
though, that he gets to thatspot sooner rather than later, to actually
make this worth it in the momentand not make this a project to make
him an average player down the line. Now, obviously there's going to be
rumors out here where Lebron's gonna signan extension. His other sons starting to

(12:58):
come up. Now, do wegot two sons on the Lakers with Daddy?
I mean, I don't know.Look, here's the thing. Lebron's
Lebron started. And by the way, his son, his other son is
better than Bronni that I have heardas well. But Brownie was born a
month before the twenty two thousand andfour to two thousand and five season.

(13:20):
Lebron was averaging twenty seven points agame at that time in one baby.
Yep, he's We are now inthe twenty twenty three to twenty twenty four
season, where he averaged twenty sixpoints per game, zero babies. It's
it's the fact that Lebron is stillperforming at this level is part of the

(13:41):
reason where it's just go where youjust have to sit there and go.
I don't know when he's gonna stop. I don't know if he's gonna sign
an extension. I don't know ifhe's gonna end up playing with both of
his children. Why because he hasn'tgotten worse. You know what's hilarious about
all of us memes of Lebron doesn'thave enough help. So he goes out

(14:03):
and makes his own. That that'sthe most hilarious part in this. He
always that he doesn't that's good,So he went out and made his own.
Now, all this discussion on theoutrage, the nepotism, this that
the third the topic that should behard hitting is when BRONI is on the

(14:26):
court, whether it's practice or ina game, the real question comes,
what does he call Lebron? Doeshe say kend? What do you call
him? I don't know. Idon't know what you call him at that
point, I don't know if youcall him. You can't call him old
man because you're gonna get in trouble. Oh, yeah, you're gonna get

(14:48):
in trouble in the locker room.Pops pops O G. Yeah, that's
a good one. Cap, youknow, whatever, whatever you want to
go with. Oh, please callhim King James, King James would be
awesome. I love that. Idon't know what you call him. I

(15:09):
guess would just be dad. Butwho knows, comes out there just calling
him whatever, some random name,savior, savior, career helper, reason
I'm here, exactly what do youcall Lebron? You can't call him daddy.
You can't call him daddy. Youjust can't, because even just coming

(15:33):
out of my mouth, that soundsawkward and creepy. No, I know
he is his dad, but yeah, I'm hoping that's not what he calls
him. But I guess will besomething along the lines of like pops,
something like that casual or either thator Lebron will make sure that she gets
straightened out real quick in that lockerroom, or or things don't go Brownie's

(15:56):
way. I'm telling mom, oh, you know what happens? Would you
tell mom? Oh you know whathappens? To say that though Lebron goes
that's fine, but Mom didn't getyou here, I mean nine months says
she did. That is true.She did bring you, she brought you
into this world, but she didn'tbring you to this team one half of

(16:18):
season at USC says Lebron did.Yep. But overall, whether you're outraged
that he got there because of Lebronor whether you're outraged because it is Lebron,
Ultimately, I don't think this isa move that helps the Lakers win
now. I think this is amove yep, that says Lebron, we

(16:45):
love you, we appreciate you,be happy, stay with the Lakers.
Absolutely, and that's what the realtakeaway should be. You know, we
can all be mad about nepotism.It is what it is. It frustrates
all of us in our day today, whether it's you know, you
working out at a grocery store andit's like, oh, my parent's my
supervisor, I'm gonna get a promotionwhatever to like Bronni getting into the NBA.

(17:07):
But at the end of the day, this is a long term project.
No one's saying he's gonna come outthere and be an NBA superstar.
But it was something cool that gota moment and made it so that a
father and son could play side byside in the NBA. That's gonna be
a great story. It's gonna selltickets and will always be a good thing.

(17:29):
Can you name one father son duoobviously didn't have to play together in
the NBA besides Bronni and lebron Ohno, oh no, I put you
on the spot. Did and Ididn't. I was not ready. Oh
no, I'm forgetting at this momentone of the greatest three point shooters of

(17:52):
all time, Stephen Curry and DelCurry. I'm an idiot. I'm an
idiot. Like in my head,you start phrasing the question, and I
started going baseball in my head.So I'm thinking Ken and Ken Griff Ken,
Ken, Oh, Michael Thompson andKlay Thompson. There's a bunch.

(18:17):
I'm not gonna name them all foryou. But you had so many,
so many options, so many,and I completely just fumbled because I was
so caught up in my nepotistic ragebeing a Knicks fan. I'll give you
one right now. Rick Brunson,Jalen Brunson, it's right there, it's
right there, it's right everyn ofyour face. Uh. NBA champion al

(18:41):
Hertford, Tito Herford, right there, Come on, man, I know,
I know, I know, you'rethe baseball guy. You're the basketball
guy. Of the two of us, I'm the baseball guy. Now,
how long is it before Deuce getsdrafted by the Celtics. I know that's
gonna be the next thing. Goright from one to another. This is

(19:03):
Levik and Gods on Fox Sports nineeighty ninety five point nine FF. Speaking
of being happier, Are the Alabamafans going to be much happier with their
new head coach? We'll discuss itnext