Former NBA forward Charlie Villanueva took a dig at LeBron James’s son, Bronny James. He mocked Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny for receiving two player votes in the 2026 NBA All-Star starter voting.
The NBA released the All-Star starter voting results Monday, Jan. 19, ahead of this year’s All-Star Game in Los Angeles. The league determines starters using a weighted system that includes fan voting at 50%, with media members and current NBA players each accounting for 25%.
Charlie Villanueva Rips Bronny James following All-Star Voting Results
According to the official results reported by Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press, Bronny James received two player votes for All-Star starter consideration. While that total had no impact on the final starter selections, it quickly drew attention across social media.
Villanueva, an 11-year NBA veteran, addressed the situation during a segment that was later shared in a video posted by the X account Joebuddenclips.
“Ain’t no way he should be in the NBA. Come on. There’s no way,” Villanueva said. “I’m going to average five points a game, right? Got a four-year guarantee. Got two votes. One being LeBron and the other one being him. For the All-Star Game. He got two votes for All-Star. That’s a fact. From players. LeBron and Bronny.”
Villanueva’s comments reflected a belief shared by some critics that Bronny’s presence in the league is closely tied to his father, LeBron James.
Villanueva delivered the remarks while laughing, clearly treating the situation as a joke. By suggesting the two votes came from LeBron James and Bronny himself, he took a sarcastic jab, implying the recognition was symbolic rather than earned through on-court performance.
Bronny has played sparingly in his second professional season. He is averaging 1.5 points in 6.9 minutes per game across 24 appearances this season. Over his two-year NBA career, he has averaged 1.9 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 6.8 minutes per game. He is shooting 31.8% from the field and 30.2% from three-point range.
In total, Bronny has appeared in 51 NBA games. The Lakers selected him with the 55th overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, a move that drew immediate attention for the historic father-son pairing with LeBron James.
While Bronny’s All-Star votes drew criticism, his father experienced a notable moment of his own in the same announcement. King James was not named an All-Star starter for the first time in his career.
James, 41, had been selected as an All-Star starter every year since 2005. In the 2026 voting results, he ranked eighth in fan voting and player voting and ninth among media members in the Western Conference, placing him outside the top five starters.
The 2026 NBA All-Star Game will be held in Los Angeles, with reserves announced in early February.
