Surprisingly, Rachel Nichols stood up for Bronny James after he was recently criticized for his subpar NBA Summer League efforts. She said that rather than being evaluated as the 55th overall pick, Bronny is being assessed as if he were a top-10 pick.
Previously, Nichols had shown some trepidation about Bronny, asserting that his stature and play would prevent him from becoming a star in the NBA. LeBron James even unfollowed her because of her remarks about Bronny.
She said, “Totally unfair. I think that people are looking at him as if he is a top-10 pick. He is not a top-10 pick. He is a #55 pick. I think that people are looking at him as if he’s a top-10 pick. He’s not a top-10 pick. He is a No. 55 pick. The expectations for a No. 55 pick should be that you’re largely headed to the G-League and may get some games up in the NBA.”
She added, “JJ Redick has come out and said, he is a developmental player, we all knew this going on. So to just sit there and criticize him for Summer League numbers… What Bronny James needs to get used to in the Summer League is the speed of the game, he needs to get used to his new coaches and teammates, and he has to get used to the attention he is getting…”
Considering that Bronny had long been predicted to be a second-round choice, it didn’t help that Nichols had previously likened second-round picks to singles at a gentlemen’s club. She’s not taken those remarks back. However, she is attempting to diffuse some negative talk about Bronny.
Bronny James Showed a Remarkable Performance in Game Five of the NBA Summer League Game
Bronny James left his offensive slump on Wednesday despite his poor start to the NBA Summer Leagues this year. James led LA to an 87-86 victory over the Atlanta Hawks with 12 points on 5-for-11 (45.5%) and 2-for-5 (40.0%) shooting from beyond the arc. After losing their opening five games, the Lakers achieved their first victory.
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Bronny James scored only 4.3 points per game on 22.6% shooting in his previous four games going into the matchup. Meanwhile, his deep game was 0-for-15 (0.0%). The 19-year-old prodigy looked relieved to see his shots start to fall.
“Just trying to forget about all the shots I missed, forget about all the games we lost. Just come out and play my game and try to do my best every time I come on the court. That’s what I did tonight, and it ended up well.” James said after the game.
Against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, James will try to go on with his better offensive play and lead the Lakers to yet another Summer League triumph.
