Bronny James has finally addressed his father LeBron James’ decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason, offering a brief, five-word reaction after weeks of speculation about how the younger James felt watching his father leave the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 21-year-old guard was captured on video Friday signing autographs and taking photos with young fans when he was asked directly about his father joining a new team. According to Yahoo Sports, Bronny’s response was simple and unbothered. “It’s whatever. It’s my dad,” he said, delivering the line with a smile, according to a video shared by Purp & Gold Media on the social platform X.

The moment marked the first public comment from Bronny since LeBron officially confirmed his decision to leave the Lakers after eight seasons with the franchise. Speculation had circulated for weeks over whether Bronny might follow his father to a new team, given that the two had made NBA history as the first father-son duo to play together in league history during Bronny’s first two professional seasons. Instead, Bronny remains with the Lakers, the team that selected him with the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, while LeBron begins a new chapter in Philadelphia.

LeBron’s departure ended an eight-year run in Los Angeles that included the franchise’s 2020 NBA championship and cemented his standing as one of the most accomplished players in Lakers history. Across 479 regular-season games with the team, LeBron averaged 25.9 points, 7.9 assists and 7.7 rebounds before ultimately deciding to continue his career elsewhere. He signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the 76ers for what will be his 24th NBA season, a milestone unmatched by any player in league history.

LeBron addressed the decision directly in a statement posted to social media at the time of the announcement, describing it as the final chapter of his storied career. “This is my last decision. I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family. I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship,” James wrote. He went on to express enthusiasm specifically about his new team’s prospects. “I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time.”

Bronny’s path forward with the Lakers became clearer in the weeks leading up to his father’s decision. In late June, Bronny’s $2.3 million salary for the 2026-27 season became fully guaranteed after the Lakers declined to waive him ahead of a contractual deadline. According to Fox News, LeBron informed the Lakers of his own decision to continue his career elsewhere just one day after that guarantee became official, a sequence of events that effectively separated the father-son duo’s NBA paths going forward.

Rich Paul, who serves as agent for both LeBron and Bronny, addressed the situation publicly around the time of LeBron’s signing, making clear that the two were operating independently of one another in free agency. “They are not a package deal,” Paul told ESPN, adding that there was “no current plan or request for Bronny James to join his father” in Philadelphia.

Bronny’s second NBA season saw him splitting time between the Lakers and the team’s G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, a common developmental path for young players still working to establish themselves at the professional level. Across 42 NBA games during that second season, Bronny averaged 2.9 points and 1.2 assists, while also making eight postseason appearances for the Lakers. Heading into his third season, Bronny’s role is expected to remain focused primarily on continued development under Lakers head coach JJ Redick, who has overseen his growth since the start of his professional career.

Bronny delivered his five-word reaction while traveling with the rest of the Lakers roster to Slovenia for a basketball camp organized by star guard Luka Doncic, according to Yahoo Sports. The trip placed Bronny in a casual, fan-facing setting when the question about his father’s move was posed, contributing to the relaxed, matter-of-fact tone of his response.

LeBron’s move to Philadelphia has generated significant reaction across the NBA, including from members of his new team. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, forward Jaylen Brown, despite past public tension with LeBron over comments Brown had made questioning Bronny’s readiness for professional basketball, was among the first players to publicly welcome LeBron to the Sixers following the announcement, posting a brief celebratory message on social media. Teammate Tyrese Maxey similarly shared a video of himself celebrating enthusiastically after the news broke.

Despite no longer playing alongside one another, LeBron and Bronny are still scheduled to face off against each other multiple times this coming season as opponents. According to Yahoo Sports, the Lakers and 76ers are set to meet on Christmas Day at 5 p.m. ET in Los Angeles, followed by a second matchup on March 2, 2027, in Philadelphia, giving fans two high-profile opportunities to watch the father and son compete against one another for the first time in their NBA careers.

With LeBron now fully settled into his new chapter with the 76ers and Bronny entering his third professional season still developing within the Lakers organization, Bronny’s brief comment appears to reflect a broader sense of acceptance regarding the situation, treating his father’s decision as a straightforward professional matter rather than a significant personal disruption. As both players prepare for the 2026-27 season with their respective teams, their upcoming head-to-head matchups are likely to draw significant attention as one of the more closely watched storylines of the coming NBA campaign.