Does Bronny James, son of Lakers star LeBron James, live up to the hype?

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Tuesday, March 28. I’m Luca Evans, a Times Sports reporter writing from The Times office in El Segundo.

At 6 p.m. PT, Chatsworth Sierra Canyon senior Bronny James will play in the McDonald’s All-American high school basketball game in Houston, alongside 23 of the top recruits in the nation. It’s one of the highest possible achievements for a high school basketball player.

It’s a milestone James has celebrated with his famous family, but it’s not without controversy.

For some, the honor bestowed upon Lakers star LeBron James’ eldest son is an example of nepotism.

LeBron is an avid supporter of Bronny, but that praise often invites cynicism. In March, he tweeted his belief that his son was better than some current NBA players. The next day, Bronny scored 10 points as his team was unceremoniously eliminated from the state basketball tournament.

Is the criticism accurate? Is Bronny James, who has 7 million Instagram followers, worth the hype?

The Times committed to answering those questions by following Bronny James throughout his senior year at Sierra Canyon, a season during which one of the most famous teenagers in America hoped to lead one of the most famous high school basketball programs in America to a championship.

During a journey that began with a preseason tournament in Vegas and ended with a disappointed trudge off a court in Calabasas, I traveled across the country and frequently traversed the San Fernando Valley to chronicle his development in the shadow of his father’s towering legacy.

Kim Kardashian, popular YouTube influencers and a parade of past and present NBA stars joined LeBron James in cheering on his son on the Sierra Canyon sidelines. Bronny James lived in that spotlight, the subject of endless social media video highlights, but his voice was nowhere to be found.

His family declined all interview requests on Bronny James’ behalf, leaving it to dozens of people I interviewed to help paint an accurate picture of his impact and potential. And now you can read the answer to the most popular question I get asked after a season shadowing Bronny James — is he any good?

And now, here’s what’s happening across California from Laura Blasey, our Essential California editor:

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L.A. STORIES

These 33 L.A. County buildings could be at risk in a major quake. As the county embarks on a landmark effort to identify and protect its stock of so-called nonductile concrete structures from collapse, the list includes many facilities that house officials who would be critical to steering the county through an emergency. Los Angeles Times

The fence around Echo Park Lake is finally coming down. Workers began dismantling the controversial fence on Monday, two years after a massive homeless encampment was cleared out of the historic park. Los Angeles Times

Wei Xin Yang, visiting from Toronto, looks over a museum map while having a seat on a bench at the Getty.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

From brutal to glam, here’s the first L.A. museum seating report card. The humble museum bench does it all, The Times’ Carolina Miranda writes. But some do more than others for visitors. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

A new program offers aid to California communities impacted by traffic pollution. Long Beach and Pasadena are among the cities receiving money from a federal fund to redesign their roads. LAist

Can California put an end to corporate greenwashing? A new state Senate bill would require the California Air Resources Board to adopt regulations that require big companies that do business in California to publicly reveal their greenhouse gas emissions. It would be the first law in the country like it. Los Angeles Times

Here are the housing bills California lawmakers will consider this year. Some of the proposals include letting religious organizations quickly build affordable homes on their excess land and lowering the cap on how much landlords can raise rents each year. Los Angeles Times

HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Is the drought over? ‘Mostly but not completely,’ Newsom says. The governor announced the rollback of some of the state’s most severe water restrictions after a wet winter, but urged continued conservation efforts. New York Times

And speaking of that wet winter: the Pacific Crest Trail will be more dangerous this year. Experts are warning that the record-setting Sierra Nevada snowpack could cause flash flooding and strong currents. SFGATE

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Buy a mansion now, get a free McLaren or Bentley. A voter-approved measure will bring a one-time transfer tax to high-end property sales to fund homelessness prevention and affordable housing construction starting April 1. Many of those who would be affected have spent the last four months devising ways to get out of the so-called “mansion tax.” Los Angeles Times

The empty Salinas Californian newspaper building sits alone in Salinas, Calif.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

As the Salinas Californian withers, a city yearns to know its stories. The 152-year-old news outlet’s sole reporter quit in December, the latest and perhaps final step in a slow-motion unwinding of what used to be the principal local news source in this city of 163,000. Officials and everyday citizens say their community has been diminished by the lack of local news. Los Angeles Times

The former Bay Area property of a cult is set to become a luxury retreat. A Nashville hospitality company has big plans for the Marconi Conference Center State Historic Park in West Marin County. San Francisco Chronicle

AND FINALLY

Today’s California landmark is from Dan Ryder of Port Hueneme, Calif.: Sandstone Point on Santa Cruz Island.

(Courtesy of Dan Ryder)

Dan writes:

What are California’s essential landmarks? Fill out this form to send us your photos of a special spot in California — natural or human-made. Tell us why it’s interesting and what makes it a symbol of life in the Golden State. Please be sure to include only photos taken directly by you. Your submission could be featured in a future edition of the newsletter.

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.

VIDEO | 07:13

LA Times Today: Overhyped and underrated? An inside look at Bronny James’ senior season

Watch L.A. Times Today at 7 p.m. on Spectrum News 1 on Channel 1 or live stream on the Spectrum News App. Palos Verdes Peninsula and Orange County viewers can watch on Cox Systems on channel 99.