The moment when Bronny James was drafted in the second round, the Los Angeles Lakers rookie became the centerpiece of various NBA debates. On Sunday, the 20-year-old and his father, LeBron James, made history by playing together in the preseason game against the Phoenix Suns. However, the Lakers rookie continued his weak performance, prompting doubts and forming an undesired narrative.
Following a conversation with executives, and scouts, ESPN reported that Bronny James faces tremendous pressure and challenges at the Lakers. “The expectations for Bronny by the fan base and by LeBron and Rich Paul are not commensurate with the reality of his game. If they had any real idea of how far away Bronny is, they just would not have done this.” ESPN quoted an Eastern Conference executive saying.
An Eastern Conference scout who has long tracked Bronny’s journey claimed, “You’re set up for failure. It’s like, what’s the expectation here.” A veteran NBA scout who has watched Bronny from his freshman season was “shocked” to see the youngster at the NBA combine.
Many scouts expressed their opinions, collectively stating that the young guard would face too much pressure at the Lakers. An executive claimed playing at the Lakers is the “worst possible situation for him to develop.” Bronny faces a burden of expectations from the huge fan base of the Lakers and LeBron.
Bronny James’ Stats Ahead Of The 2024-25 NBA Season
After joining the Lakers, James Jr. played six games in the summer league and averaged 7.0 points on 32.7% shooting. He also registered 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. In the first two preseason games, Bronny scored two points, grabbed three rebounds, and made one assist. Considering his lackluster performances, many believe the Lakers rookie would spend most of the season in the NBA G-League.
Ahead of his draft, Bronny revealed he looks up to Celtics stars Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and King’s Davion Mitchell. In his preseason debut against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Bronny registered three blocks, drawing parallels to the defense-focused guards. In their third preseason game, the Lakers will face the Milwaukee Bucks at 8 p.m. ET.
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