A father and an NFL legend himself, Deion Sanders is only too aware of the attention and pressure star children face. As LeBron James is to the NBA, ‘Coach Prime’ is to the NFL – ultimate success. One of a kind; everybody knows how they’ve been a force to be reckoned with. It continues to this day. Much like Bron. Another aspect the two legends share is their unconditional love for their children. And for James, it has been months of watching Bronny James struggle and come under constant attack from the media and fans.
The father in him would want to shield his kids from all things bad, but the player in him knows that this is all part of the process. When things go downhill or the opposite of what fans expect, hate pours in from every possible hole. It’s a tale as old as time. And Deion Sanders, in his appearance on All the Smoke podcast, gives an actual and sensible reason for Bronny’s current situation. “I could see the pressure because I got boys. And when he [Bronny James] steps out there, they want to see the Daddy. They ain’t checking for Bronnie, they want to see the daddy”.
He couldn’t be more right. Aside from the James name, Bronny is also endowed with the genetics of one of the greatest basketball players. And that is apparently supposed to make him prime LeBron on the court. Add the one-on-one lessons, tutoring, and quality time Jr. gets with the King, and everyone expects the young guard to emulate the 20x All-Star.
What many fail to consider or understand is that Bronny James is not equal to LeBron James. The 4x champion is one of a kind for a reason. And when the pressure gets too much for these star children, there is something they tell their kids. And Papa Sanders explains it the best.
“You can’t be me”: Deion Sanders on the advice he gives his boys and by extension Bronny James
Sanders knows that Bronny James will make his mark. He may not reach there as fast as his dad did. But there was not even a sliver of doubt that if LeBron’s son decided to continue to pursue basketball as his career, he would reach there. But there was one thing he always told his children, Shedeur and Shilo Sanders. “You can’t be me. God has graced me and gift me, and just separated me, and set me aside. But give me the best shot, dog.”
“Don’t have to step with me. Just give me the best shot every day. And it’s sad when they look at that young man and see Bron,” he finished. Sanders is not just the father of two rising NFL stars. He has three other children, two of them who have already gone through this episode. Especially Deion Sanders Jr. who hung his boot in junior year. As for his youngest daughter; she decided basketball was her preferred choice of sport. So we can be sure Coach Prime knows what he is talking about.
But if we were to give you just a few quick examples, just like how the current “generational talent” Victor Wembanyama is one of a kind. Or Nikola Jokić. Or even how Flo-Jo was capable of changing the landscape of track and field athletes and sports fashion. There was no one like her ever before. But asking her daughter to be her mother was every bit as ridiculous as asking Bronny James to be his father.
Hopefully, Coach Prime’s comments might be enough for people to calm down, at least slightly for now.
