David Grenardo, professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, recently spoke with The Associated Press about nepotism in sports, following criticism of the Los Angeles Lakers draft choice, which paired LeBron James with his son, Bronny.
From the story:
LeBron James stood on the court next to his son Bronny and couldn’t help but glance over at him to take in the moment. The duo wore matching Los Angeles Lakers jerseys with “James” and “James Jr.” embroidered in big purple letters on their backs. ...
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has described the draft pick as “magical,” while his organization has drawn criticisms about whether Bronny would have earned the opportunity if his father wasn’t one of the game’s greatest players. Those objections – albeit met with widespread excitement for the James family – reignited conversations about nepotism in sports and how powerful figures leverage their influence, while underscoring the stigma around kids following in the footsteps of a successful parent or family member. ...
“I think we’re resigned in this country to the fact that if you own it, you can do whatever you want with it,” said David Grenardo, a law professor and sports law expert at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. “So I’m the owner. I can pass it down to my kids ... And that’s somewhat acceptable because that person has the right to do with their property what they want.”
That acceptance changes when it comes to athletes, Grenardo said.
“That is where we are completely uncomfortable with the idea of someone getting an opportunity that they did not deserve,” he said, noting the intrigue of watching the best compete against the best in sports. ...
That’s where nepotism conversations have sprouted around Bronny, whose critics have argued that he was unproven before being drafted and has earned more attention than almost any other late second-round pick in NBA history.
