LeBron James’ son Bronny James was chosen by the Los Angeles Lakers final week and he’s paying tribute to Juice WRLD along with his No. 9 jersey.
James was formally launched as a Los Angeles Laker in a press convention on Tuesday (July 2) the place he defined how the late rapper served because the inspiration behind his jersey quantity choice.
“Juice has been an enormous a part of me retaining calm in some conditions that I’ve been by way of. Simply paying homage to him, particularly trigger he handed. It’s a very vital factor for me.”
The Chicago native was a psychological well being advocate and vulnerably opened up about his battles with substance abuse, which helped Bronny navigate sure occasions in life with the highlight on him because the teenage son of the most effective to ever decide up a basketball.
Again in 2022, Bronny obtained Juice WRLD’s “9 9 9” affirmations tattooed on his neck behind his ear. Juice defined to MTV Information in 2018 that “9 9 9” stood for turning negatives in life into positives, which Bronny struck a chord with James.
“9 9 9 represents taking no matter ailing, no matter dangerous state of affairs, no matter wrestle you’re going by way of and turning it into one thing constructive to push your self ahead,” Juice informed host Sway Calloway on the time.
Unfortunatley, Juice WRLD’s life was tragically reduce quick on the age of 21 when he handed away from an unintended overdose attributable to oxycodone and codeine toxicity after struggling a seizure at Chicago’s Halfway Airport in December 2019.
Juice burst onto the hip-hop scene in early 2018 with large anthems akin to “All Women Are the Identical” and the Sting-interpolating “Lucid Desires.” The latter reached No. 2 on the Sizzling 100.
LeBron reposted a photograph of his son within the No. 9 Lakers jersey to his Instagram Story final week with an homage to the “Theft” rapper: “999 @Bronny,” he wrote with a number of fireplace emojis.
If carrying the James identify wasn’t sufficient strain, Bronny will look to maintain Juice’s message and legacy going whereas rocking the No. 9 this season for the Lakers.
Los Angeles drafted Bronny with the fifty fifth decide within the second spherical of the 2024 NBA Draft final week to make good on LeBron’s need to swimsuit up along with his son as Laker teammates this season.
Watch Bronny give Juice WRLD his flowers under.
