In a snippet from the first episode for the upcoming HBO Sports and Uninterrupted series The Shop, LeBron James explains why he regrets naming his son after him. After James discusses the gamut of emotions he goes through watching his sons play competitive basketball on the barbershop-style set with a group that includes Odell Beckham Jr., Maverick Carter, Snoop Dogg, Draymond Green, and Candace Parker, Jon Stewart asks LeBron how he tries to deal with having his two boys living in the shadow of their future NBA Hall of Fame father.
"What do you say to your kid, living up to you being their dad? They're playing the same sport that you played better than anyone else in the world has ever played it,” Stewart ponders. “How do you give them peace of mind that they don't have to be you?"
LeBron immediately responds by revealing that he still regrets giving his name to his oldest son. “I still regret giving my 14-year-old my name because of that,” he said. “When I was younger, I didn't have a dad, so my whole thing was when I have a kid, not only is he gonna be a junior, I'm gonna do everything that this man didn't do. They're gonna experience things that I didn't experience. The only thing I can do is give them the blueprint, and it's up to them to take their own course whenever that time comes."
The King has already shown signs of encouraging LeBron James Jr. to forge his own road by suggesting his son’s decision to not wear the same number as his father. Plus, the soon-to-be 14-year-old is commonly referred to as Bronny, as opposed to his legal name. Living in his pop’s shadow is inescapable, but LeBron is doing everything he can to make his journey as painless as possible.
The Shop will debut on Aug. 28.
