Bronny James is gearing up for his rookie season in the NBA, but likely won’t see much playing time. The young guard will be at the bottom of the pecking order and will have to work his way up the depth chart to see some action. Perhaps he could take a tip or two from Austin Reaves, who went from an undrafted free agent signing to a critical part of the Lakers’ rotation.
Advertisement
However, the 26-year-old doesn’t believe he has anything meaningful to say to Bronny. During an appearance on Nevada Sports Net, Reaves was asked whether he’d mentor the guard as he navigates through the challenge of his rookie year.
The guard hilariously responded that if he were in the young guard’s position he’d prefer listening to his father, LeBron James, rather than a former undrafted player. Reaves quipped,
“I mean, if LeBron’s my dad, I don’t know if I’m listening to Austin Reaves.”
View this post on Instagram
The guard was joking and would unquestionably guide Bronny if he ever sought his advice. However, he does make a valid point. LeBron was dubbed ‘The Chosen One’ at 17 and was told he’d be deemed a bust if he didn’t finish his career as a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He has gone through all the highs and lows of being an athlete.
Bronny has already experienced intense scrutiny like LeBron did in his rookie year. And like his father, the young star has answered his critics on the basketball court.
Bronny James is finding his footing
Bronny had a horrendous start to life as a Laker. He averaged only 3.4 points in his first six outings in the California Classic and the Summer League, prompting Jaylen Brown to claim he wasn’t worthy of playing in the NBA yet.
However, the young guard bounced back with two terrific outings. In the Lakers’ 87-86 win over the Hawks, he scored 12 points, and in his subsequent outing against the Cavaliers, he scored 13 to guide the Lakers to a 93-89 win.
The Summer League is not the NBA and Bronny will have to show a lot more to earn a roster spot and be part of the Lakers’ rotation. But the guard’s body language has been noticeably different in his last two games.
As Skip Bayless noted, the rookie played with confidence, which likely played a role in his marked improvement. If Bronny continues to impress, he’d soon silence the critics, like his father has been doing for over two decades.
