Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James began the NBA Summer League in a rough manner. The former USC Trojans prospect scored four points in his first professional game on July 6 when the Lakers took on the Sacramento Kings, which was marred by 2-9 field goal attempts and 0-3 attempts from a distance.
More news: Bronny James Scores 13, Leads Lakers to Victory Over Cavaliers
Things did not get much better after that, as James only scored three points in his next contest. The negativity surrounding the controversial No. 55 NBA draftee began to spin. Fans began to already count the young guard out, though James had handled the pressure in the best way possible.
James has since rebounded in the Summer League, posting impressive stat lines in back-to-back games.
James’ most recent game was on July 18 when the Lakers took on the Cleveland Cavaliers. Bronny posted 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and secured a 50 percent field goal average.
The performance led to some high praise from a young NBA star.
Oklahoma City Thunder center and power forward Chet Holmgren had a small message to send to James, which was, “Looked like a pro.”
The chatter surrounding James has been that he could be a “bust”, especially considering he was off to a rough start when the Summer League began. However, people seem to forget that he is still a rookie and one that will need ample time to develop.
No one expected to see James flying around the court like his father right when he entered the NBA, though that would have been impressive. Bronny has a long career to go and is expected to participate in the G-League before he can actually step onto the court with LeBron.
The NBA Summer League is also the time when rookies and young prospects can start to evolve their game before they head to the G-League or are welcomed to a roster. Bronny will likely take a year to develop at least before he and LeBron will play alongside one another.
LeBron also signed a two-year deal with the Lakers, and that could mean that the James duo won’t share the court until LeBron’s final year under contract. This is just speculation, but Bronny does need some time to develop his game.
The good news is the same flashes of brilliance that he showed while playing at USC are starting to show up in the Summer League. Bronny will by no means play perfectly, but with time — he could be a dangerous dual-threat weapon for the Lakers.
Uncommon Knowledge
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