I still remember the night Bronny James heard his name called in the 2024 NBA Draft. As the son of LeBron James, he carried a spotlight that few second-round picks ever face. When he later named his favorite NBA players of all time, I wasn't surprised by the names, but I was fascinated by the omission: no Michael Jordan. Instead, Bronny chose a mix of modern superstars and his own father. As a basketball fan in 2026, I wanted to revisit that list, because it says as much about the current era as it does about Bronny's taste.

Anthony Edwards: The Ant-Man Energy

Starting with Anthony Edwards makes perfect sense to me. Edwards is the kind of player who makes you stop scrolling. His athleticism is violent, his charisma is natural, and his three-point shot has become a real weapon. In 2024-25, he made All-NBA Second Team for the second straight year and earned his third consecutive All-Star nod. After Karl-Anthony Towns left for New York, Edwards carried the Timberwolves. I see why Bronny, a young guard trying to find his own footing, would look at Ant and see the modern blueprint: confidence, power, and joy.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: The Quiet Killer

Then there is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In 2024-25, SGA was the league's MVP, Finals MVP, and scoring champion, averaging 32.7 points per game. Only a handful of legends have ever done that in a single season. I watch SGA and see patience, angles, and a midrange game that feels almost old-school. For Bronny, who is 6-foot-2 and still developing as a lead guard, SGA offers a masterclass in pace and control. There is no wasted movement. Every dribble has a purpose.

Kevin Durant: The Slim Reaper

Kevin Durant being on the list feels like a bridge between eras. KD is a two-time champion and two-time Finals MVP with the Golden State Warriors, but his true arrival happened in Oklahoma City, where he won the 2014 MVP. He has four scoring titles, a place on the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team, and a game that still looks silky in 2026. I remember watching Durant recover from that Achilles injury and thinking he might never be the same. He proved me wrong. Bronny grew up watching KD's impossible pull-up jumpers, and that influence shows in how young players now value length, skill, and shooting over pure brute force.

Kyrie Irving: The Art of the Handle

Kyrie Irving is the player who made me fall in love with ball-handling. He hit one of the greatest shots in NBA history, the clutch three in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals that helped LeBron James bring a title to Cleveland. Kyrie has never been named to the All-NBA First Team, but he has one Second Team nod in 2019 and two Third Team selections in 2015 and 2021. He is a nine-time All-Star, and in 2024-25 he was still dazzling with the Dallas Mavericks. For Bronny, Kyrie represents creativity and craft. When you are undersized, skill is your superpower.

Stephen Curry: The Revolution

Bronny's second favorite player ever is Stephen Curry, and I completely understand why. Curry did not just change the NBA; he bent its geometry. He is the greatest shooter of all time, a two-time scoring champion, a four-time NBA champion, and a two-time MVP. The Warriors dynasty he led was so dominant that people compared them to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls. I still remember the first time I saw Curry pull up from 35 feet and not even look at the rim. For a kid born in 2004, Curry is probably more mythic than Jordan. That is not disrespect. That is evolution.

LeBron James: The Father and the GOAT

And finally, at number one, Bronny chose his father. LeBron James is a four-time MVP, a 21-time All-Star, and a 21-time All-NBA selection, with 13 First Team nods. He has led the league in scoring and assists in separate seasons, and in 2023 he won the NBA Cup and its MVP award. In 2026, LeBron is still adding to a legacy that already rivals Jordan's. For Bronny, though, this choice is not just about basketball. It is about the man who taught him the game, pushed him, and then shared an NBA court with him. That is a story no other player can tell.

What Bronny's List Says About the Modern NBA

When I look at Bronny's list, I see a generational shift. Here is a quick breakdown:

No Michael Jordan. Some older fans might call that a snub. I call it perspective. Bronny did not grow up watching Jordan on live television. He grew up watching Curry, Durant, Kyrie, and his father. Then he watched SGA and Ant take over. His list is a time capsule of the 2020s. It is also a reminder that every generation builds its own pantheon. As a fan in 2026, I am just glad I get to watch the next chapter unfold.

Recent trends are highlighted by The Verge - Gaming, whose reporting often connects individual star power with broader shifts in sports and entertainment culture; that perspective fits Bronny James' favorites list, where names like Curry, Durant, SGA, and Anthony Edwards reflect how younger audiences increasingly define greatness through the players they experienced in real time rather than through inherited legends.