After a challenging college career, Bronny James is poised to kick off his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers alongside his father, LeBron James. Recently, the Lakers announced their starting five for the upcoming season, and Bronny’s name was notably absent.
Given that this is his rookie year and considering his less-than-stellar performance in the Summer League, it may take some time before he steps onto the court for the Lakers in the regular season.
During a recent appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” former NBA star Magic Johnson weighed in on Bronny’s current situation in the league. Johnson claimed that Bronny is yet to be ready for the NBA, mentioning the importance of development for the rookie star.
“If I’m Bronny, I would tell my dad, ‘Just let me play in the G League all season so that I can develop. He needs playing time. He doesn’t need to be sitting on the Laker bench and not playing. That’s not a knock against him; he’s just not ready,” Johnson said.
“He needs to develop more, and then he will be ready because he has some great talent and skills. But he needs to develop those skills at a much better clip if he wants to play 15-20 minutes a night in the NBA or more,” he added.
JJ Redick Expresses Confidence in Bronny James Despite Summer League Struggles
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick remains optimistic about Bronny James’ potential. During a recent press conference, Redick shared Bronny’s young talent and eagerness to improve.
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“Bronny, I feel very fortunate that I get to coach him because he’s young and he’s hungry, and he’s got a lot of inherent skillsets that we can really mold into a really good NBA player. On top of that, he’s a fantastic kid. He’s extremely coachable. He’s got the right spirit and energy every single day,” Redick said.
Despite Redick’s praise, Bronny had a challenging time in the Summer League. The Lakers rookie averaged just six points, 3.5 rebounds, and one steal per game. His performance drew criticism not only for himself but also for the Lakers for selecting him in the draft.
