Prior to the Lakers taking on the Celtics in Boston on the evening of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, LeBron James was in Massachusetts watching his son play a high school basketball game in Springfield.
But even had James been in Los Angeles to take on the Celtics at Staples Center, he still would have been able to watch LeBron “Bronny” James Jr. take the court for Sierra Canyon School because the game was actually broadcast on ESPN.
Charles Barkley, who also ripped into James for attending his son’s game instead of prepping for his own, called ESPN’s decision to air 15 of the younger James’s games this season “the ultimate exploitation.”
“We always talk about college players being exploited. This is the ultimate exploitation,” Barkley said. “What is the financial incentive other than the network making money on these high school kids? We always complain about these college teams making all this money … You’re making money on college kids. Now you’re making money on high-school kids.”
Barkley has a point as Bronny James certainly has more nationally televised games than many NBA teams.
Zaire Wade, Dwyane Wade’s son, also plays for Sierra Canyon. They lost their game 70-62.
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