There’s never been a second-round pick in NBA history that’s had as much scrutiny as Bronny James. The former USC Trojan with the famous father has endured criticism not only for his paltry playing time and stats in his rookie season but also for the fact that he was even drafted at all after one nondescript year in college. Bronny’s been caught in the whirlwind of a media firestorm that he didn’t ask for, but what’s gone unnoticed by many is that he’s improved greatly already during his time as a pro.
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Bronny was profiled by Joe Vardon of The Athletic in a piece that came out today, and in it, Vardon noted how he’s the same smiling kid that he was years ago and the same guy that once carried his family’s luggage at the airport without complaint. He’s also grown tremendously as a basketball player, a fact that has been most obvious in his G League games.
The youngest Laker has shuttled back and forth between the South Bay Lakers and their NBA counterpart, and though he’s still been mostly relegated to the end of JJ Redick’s deep bench, he’s begun to blossom as a scorer in the G League in a way that he never did even in college.
Bronny’s career was temporarily derailed by a major health scare last year when he experienced a cardiac arrest during practice. He admits in The Athletic piece that his confidence was shaken by the ordeal, and it’s taken him this long to begin to get it back. “But going out and getting reps under my belt after that scare, it’s been good for my confidence,” he told Vardon.
Bronny’s pro career started slowly, but he’s right on schedule to become an impact player
People need to remember that because Bronny only played about half a season at USC due to his health, he doesn’t have a lot of on-court experience against top competition. Playing in the G League has given him a chance to expand his game, and he’s taken advantage by averaging over 17 points per game there.
Because he did so little in college, critics believed that the Lakers drafted Bronny only because of who his dad is. While, of course, that was a major factor, there’s no way Rob Pelinka could have made the selection with a straight face if Bronny didn’t have the potential to actually be a real player.
The way Bronny has performed in the G League has helped vindicate him against the many attacks he’s had to endure. He also uses those criticisms as motivation. “I just take that and use it as fuel for me to go out, wake up every day and get to the gym early, get my extra work in, watch my extra film every day, get better every day,” he said.
It’s unlikely that Bronny will get much run when the Lakers play in the postseason this year, but given another year or two of experience, he could become a regular part of the rotation. However you feel about the fact that he was drafted at all, you have to admit that he’s putting in the work to earn his keep.
