LeBron James’ son Bronny James has had an underwhelming start to life as a Los Angeles Laker. In three games — two in the California Classic and one in the NBA’s Summer League — he has converted only 6-of-26 shot attempts and none of his 15 three-point attempts. His performances have been heavily scrutinized, prompting Gilbert Arenas to defend the young guard.
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On the Gil’s Arena podcast, the former Washington Wizards star argued that Bronny is performing exactly like most second-round picks would. He lashed out at the media, claiming they treat him like he was the first overall pick in the draft, not the 55th. He added that the chatter about him signing a guaranteed four-year deal is preposterous. Arenas said,
“The expectations from a second-round pick are just ridiculous. They [the media] are using metrics that’s not even real. It’s not real…They have him [Bronny] as the 55th pick…that signed a guaranteed contract. Why are nailing it down to that f**king number… There is four players in this years draft that signed fout-year guarantees… But since he is a second-rounder and no one knows about him, there is no coverage on him.”
While his take may be valid, he’s also a bit biased towards Bronny. The former NBA star has a soft corner for the young guard as the two share a close bond and have even trained together.
Gilbert Arenas and Bronny James’ relationship
Gilbert Arenas was infamous for being a gym rat during his days in the league. While the media peddled stories about the Wizards star living a colorful lifestyle, the retired point guard claims he spent most of his time training and working on his craft.
LeBron James is among those who believe Arenas’ admission. He handpicked the former guard to train his sons, Bronny and Bryce, and help them elevate their game. After seeing the young guard up close, the former Wizards star was convinced he had what it takes to thrive in the NBA. During an appearance on Podcast P, Arenas revealed he sent his assessment of Bronny to James via text, which read,
“Yo, y’all probably got the same speed, probably got the same passing skills, IQ damn near the same. At this age, he probably jumps a little bit higher, probably a little bit stronger. He can definitely shoot better and dribble better than you.”
Arenas noted Bronny had the intangibles to compete, and most importantly had the drive to improve and enjoy a long career in the NBA. While his first three appearances in a Lakers jersey haven’t shown anything to suggest the former Wizards star is right, he’s certain that with experience, the young guard will become a star.
