Bronny James’ first appearances in a purple and gold jersey have been everything but impressive, especially during his Summer League debut in Las Vegas this past weekend. The Lakers lost against the Rockets 99-80 and the 19-year-old was very imprecise when shooting, despite producing a few interesting plays during the match.
“I just feel like I’m in a little slump right now,” he admitted after scoring 8 points that came on 3-for-14 shooting against Houston. The No. 55 pick of the past NBA Draft said that he will welcome any assignment given to him in his first campaign as a basketball professional.
Nevertheless, the young guard is open as long as he’s given the opportunity to play and improve his game, even if it is playing for the G League squad in South Bay. “I’m just looking forward to any basketball I play, no matter what level I’m playing at,” he insisted.
“Don’t take too much stock, it’s Summer League.”@PaulPierce34 on Bronny James’ early struggles pic.twitter.com/JnlEHz8DU1
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) July 15, 2024
After this weekend’s clash in Nevada, it is hard not to enter comparisons, especially as Bronny faced the Rockets’ Cam Whitmore. The No. 20 pick of last year’s draft ended the contest with 20 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. As a rookie, he played 13 matches for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the G League, and averaged 26.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.1 steals per game.
James Jr., on the other hand, suffered three turnovers that night and struggled on offense in general. After three Summer League displays, including both California Classic clashes, the 19-year-old is dropping 23.1% of his shots overall, and has missed every single attempt from beyond the arc.
When asked about his pupil’s woes, the Lakers’ summer league coach Dane Johnson is convinced that the player is just getting settled into the big leagues and is showing promise for the future.
“Shoot, he’s going to have a long career,” said Johnson, who primarily coaches the South Bay Lakers in the G League. “This is just the beginning. We just keep instilling [confidence], keep that in their heads. So we’ve got a long way to go. I don’t know about that yet, so I can’t really comment on that,” Johnson said. “But I think all these guys are going to be in the G League at some point — the draftees.”
Bronny’s agent has informed teams around the league that his client isn’t interested in joining any other franchise on a two-way contract
While Dalton Knecht is truly demonstrating why the has been so much hype around him, especially as the Draft’s No. 17 pick led the Los Angeles team with 25 points on 9-for-18 shooting (5-for-11 from 3), 6 rebounds and 4 assists against Houston, James Jr. still has a lot to prove.
His agent Rich Paul even told ESPN that he informed other NBA franchises that Bronny isn’t looking to join any other squad on a two-way deal. “I got the word out early to teams that if you plan on bringing Bronny in, here’s what you need to know: If you won’t give him a real deal, there’s nothing to talk about,” he expressed. “It’s hard to get real development on a two-way deal.”
While his offensive displays have been far from impressive, his defense is starting to look up. The rising star recorded two steals (adding to his 5 in total during the Summer League), and guarded Rockets rookie Reed Shepard throughout the contest.
“I’ve known Reed since fifth grade,” James Jr. said about the No. 3 pick of the Draft. “I know he’s a shooter, so I was just trying to get in his body and prevent those 3-balls from going up. I was trying to pick him up full court and showing my effort to the GM and coaches.”
