Pistons Legend Changes Stance on LeBron James While Ending Bronny’s Haters in Damning Claim

Has the hatred for Bronny James faded now that he’s in the NBA? It doesn’t seem like it has. It’s only grown and will likely continue to do so until LeBron James“The eldest is proving himself on the basketball court. The 19-year-old’s past continues to haunt him, with his disappointing numbers in college and the NBA Summer League giving his critics the ammunition they need. But Bronny also has several supporters on his side. One of them recently spoke out.

TMZ caught up with four-time NBA champion John Salley earlier today. When asked about Bronny, the former player said he was happy the young star was able to be drafted by the league, especially with all the criticism he’s been getting. Additionally, he stressed his belief that Bronny was just given a leg up by his father.

“Listen, if my dad had the power, if my dad was the leading scorer, if my dad was willing to take a pay cut so I could get a check, this wouldn’t be a business like any other.” Salley said during the interview. In addition to sending Bronny his flowers, the former player also indirectly put the NBA’s leading scorer on a pedestal. This was seen again when Salley was asked if LeBron should stay in the league long enough to play not only with Bronny but also with his youngest son Bryce, and he responded “Listen to me, Bron. Never give up, brother!”

Surprisingly, this is a complete 360-degree turn from the former member of the Detroit Pistons’ “Bad Boys.” In an interview with Vlad TV in January, when discussing the possibility of LeBron staying in the NBA just to play with his son, the 60-year-old made a comparison by pointing out that he chose to retire from the professional league at the age of 36. So he knew when was the best time to quit, something the Lakers star doesn’t know, he indicated. Additionally, Salley also said that by staying, the 39-year-old was taking away some opportunities from younger players.

“It’s not good for the league to have old players. It hurts the publicity. You’re trying to sell John Morant sneakers. You’re not trying to sell Brons. If you survive 10 years, you’re blessed.”

Bryce James, at 17, hasn’t even made his college debut yet. By the time he puts his name forward for the NBA draft, LeBron James will be almost 41-42 years old. Therefore, it is not yet certain that playing alongside Bryce LeBron Bronny will be a reality for his father. However, thanks to a two-year extension, fans know that LeBron will be playing alongside Bronny in the near future. The same fact now seems to have been accepted by John Salley. After all, when it comes to Bronny, the former player has always had a favorable opinion.

John Salley Defends LeBron James’ Son After Marijuana-Related Incident

Even before he made waves in the basketball world, Bryce James had already caught the attention of the media and NBA fans. In 2020, news went viral when the 15-year-old allegedly smoked in one of his Instagram stories. Although the story was quickly deleted, it didn’t take long for screenshots to spread across the internet. One of them caught the attention of John Salley, who didn’t think Bronny was wrong.

In an interview with, ironically, Vlad TV, the former power forward said “Marijuana is legal in California. Trees are drugs, and the problem is, they’re kids. Everybody who talks about them is an adult… Any adult who forgets their childhood is a disgrace, the fact that you blame them. That’s what you do. They smoke weed.”

If these two examples, spread over a four-year period, have taught us anything, it’s that the Pistons legend may waver in his opinion of LeBron, but not so much of his elder.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out this cross between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.