Update: Los Angeles Lakers minority owner Jeanie Buss issued a statement to The Atlantic about ESPN’s explosive LeBron James story.
ESPN claimed Jeanie is disappointed that LeBron didn’t show gratitude after she signed his eldest son, Bronny James, to a $4 million contract.
In her statement on Wednesday evening, Jeanie said the story is “just not true”.
“It’s really not right, given all the great things LeBron has done for the Lakers, that he has to be pulled into my family drama. To say that it wasn’t appreciated is just not true and completely unfair to him.”
Bronny, 21, was drafted by the Lakers with the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
LeBron and Bronny made history as the first father-son duo to play together in an NBA game.
According to ESPN, Jeanie felt that LeBron, 41, wasn’t “grateful” enough after she convinced the front office to draft Bronny.
“And when the Lakers drafted James’ son Bronny with the 55th pick in the 2024 draft, Jeanie privately remarked that James should be grateful for such a gesture, but she felt that he wasn’t,” said ESPN reporter Baxter Holmes on Wednesday.
Holmes suggested that the Lakers front office – including Jeanie’s 5 brothers and sister – didn’t want to waste a draft pick on Bronny. But Jeanie reportedly insisted on drafting Bronny.
Also in the ESPN report, league sources said Jeanie complained privately about LeBron’s “outsized ego” and the influence he and Rich Paul, of Klutch Sports, had over the Lakers’ organization.
Billionaire businessman Mark Walter purchased a majority ownership stake in the team for $10 billion. Jeanie continues to be the Lakers’ governor and she retains a minority ownership in the franchise.
