He may not have gotten many games in the NBA, but Bronny James is smoking the G League. He has averaged nearly 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game for the South Bay Lakers in the regular season. Yep, the LeBron James scion has impressed with his efficient shooting and high-energy defense so far.
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The rookie guard recorded several standout performances, including 30, 31, and 39-point outings. Bronny showed flashes of being a legitimate NBA talent during his time in the G. In the process, he’s managed to impress one of his father’s biggest critics.
Skip Bayless praised Bronny for successfully maneuvering a high-pressure rookie campaign. He is a long way from — and perhaps never will be — the unstoppable force that LeBron has been over the past two decades. But Bronny has already accomplished more than most 55th overall picks do in their entire careers.
Bayless lauded Bronny’s conduct, both on the floor and off it. Considering the spotlight that has been placed on Bronny since he was a child, Skip believes the 20-year-old has done everything right thus far. The longtime sports personality even took time to praise LeBron and Savannah James for the fantastic job they’ve done preparing Bronny for the pros.
“[Bronny] just seems like he’s quality. LeBron and Savannah did a great job raising this young man,” Bayless said on his show. “I see no hints of a spoiled rotten kid. I see no diva. There’s none of this, ‘I am LeBron James Junior. Kneel down, I have arrived.’ Then again, maybe that’s been some of the problem here.”
Unlike his father, who entered the NBA as the No. 1 overall pick in 2003 with undeniable confidence, Bronny hasn’t shown the same level of self-assurance. Skip Bayless believes the second-year guard would benefit from playing with more swagger.
Bronny could do with more swagger
While Bayless doesn’t think Bronny should rely on nepotism, he suggests it wouldn’t hurt for him to embrace the fact that he’s LeBron James’s son and carry himself with the confidence that comes with that legacy.
“Maybe it would help to see a little bit more of ‘I am bleeping LeBron James Junior, and I am here. I have arrived.’ Sometimes I wonder how desperately bad Bronny really, really wants to be a very good NBA player,” Skip claimed. “Bronny’s father really, really, wanted to be all-time great. Bronny’s father has always, always, paid the price to be great.”
Skip isn’t confident that Bronny carries the same level of urgency that his father has throughout his Hall of Fame career. It’s understandable, as Bronny grew up in luxury thanks to his father’s greatness. LeBron, though, was desperate to create a better life for himself and his mother when he first dedicated himself to the game.
With only a handful of NBA minutes under his belt, it’s still too early to tell what kind of player Bronny James will be in the league. The Los Angeles Lakers appear to have plans to use him in their rotation next season after using him almost exclusively in garbage time as a rookie.
Bronny should have ample opportunity to prove himself worthy as an NBA talent. Even if he doesn’t become an all-time great or even an All-Star, Bronny still has the chance to achieve something most hoopers can only dream of.
