Los Angeles Lakers rookie Brony James started the NBA Summer League in sketchy fashion. The former USC Trojans prospect scored four points in his first professional game on July 6 when the Lakers faced the Sacramento Kings, marred by 2-9 field goal attempts and 0-3 from distance.
More news: Bronny James scores 13, leads Lakers to victory over Cavaliers
Things didn’t get much better after that, as James only scored three points in his next game. The negativity surrounding the NBA’s controversial No. 55 draft pick has begun to swirl. Fans were already counting the young guard out, although James had handled the pressure as best he could.
James has since rebounded in Summer League, posting impressive stats in back-to-back games.
James’ most recent game was on July 18 when the Lakers faced the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bronny had 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a 50 percent field goal average.
The performance led to high praise from a young NBA star.
Oklahoma City Thunder center and power forward Chet Holmgren had a small message for James, which was: “He looked like a pro.”
The talk around James was that he could be a bust, especially considering he had a rough start when Summer League began. However, people seem to forget that he is still a rookie and will need some time to develop.
Candice Ward/Getty Images
No one expected to see James flying around the court like his father right when he entered the NBA, although that would be impressive. Bronny has a long career ahead of him and is expected to join the G-League before he can actually take the court with LeBron.
The NBA Summer League is also the time when rookies and young prospects can begin to develop their game before heading to the G-League or being welcomed onto a roster. Bronny will probably need a year to develop at least before he and LeBron can play next to each other.
LeBron also signed a two-year deal with the Lakers, and that could mean James’ duo won’t share the court until the final year of LeBron’s contract. This is just speculation, but Bronny needs some time to develop his game.
The good news is that the same flashes of brilliance he showed while playing at USC are starting to show in Summer League. Bronny will by no means play perfectly, but over time – he could be a dangerous dual-threat weapon for the Lakers.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in search of common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in search of common ground.
Leave a Reply