Despite being the 55th overall pick, Bronny James is inarguably the most talked-about rookie in his draft class. That’s a direct result of him being LeBron James’ son. However, it’s led to him being scrutinized heavily. To make matters worse, the young guard’s performances in the Summer League have also been underwhelming. His poor outings have led to incessant criticism, which Rachel Nichols believes is unfair.
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On Undisputed, the NBA analyst came to Bronny’s defense. She claimed that his critics are only targeting him due to their disdain for LeBron, or their unrealistic expectations of him. Nichols noted that a player picked as low as he was in the draft has never been under the spotlight like he has. She said,
“People are looking at him as if he’s a top 10 pick. He’s not a top 10 pick, he’s a number 55 pick. The expectations from a number 55 pick should be, you’re largely headed to the G League and may get some games up in the NBA.”
Nichols brought out the receipts to prove her point. She pointed out that the 55th pick in the 2023 NBA draft, Indiana Pacers’ Isaiah Wong, played for only four minutes in his sole appearance in his rookie season. However, fans and analysts did not expect him to be impactful immediately. In fact, most wouldn’t even be able to name the 55th pick in the 2023 NBA draft.
.@Rachel__Nichols says the criticism of Bronny James is 'unfair' 👀 pic.twitter.com/WhsmD9BQIX
— The Facility (@TheFacilityFS1) July 17, 2024
Nichols also spoke about the silence following Alex Sarr’s horrendous performance against the Portland Trail Blazers in the Summer League. The second overall pick went 0-for-15 from the floor, including 0-for-7 from beyond the arc in his team’s two-point loss. The analyst noted that his shocking display received a fraction of the criticism that Bronny has for his performances.
Nichols added that the Summer League is designed to help young players like him get a taste of the speed and atmosphere in the NBA. However, fans and analysts have been too busy critiquing a raw prospect who’s still getting accustomed to his new life as a professional basketball player. While Bronny still has some catching up to do, the Lakers’ other rookie has been in stellar form.
Dalton Knecht is showing positive signs as a rookie
After Day 1 of the 2024 NBA draft, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka expressed his astonishment about Tennessee Volunteers star Dalton Knecht falling to 17th, allowing them to pick him. In his first two Summer League appearances, the 23-year-old is proving why he felt that way.
In his Summer League debut against the Houston Rockets, Knecht went 9-for-18 from the field, and 5-of-11 from beyond the arc. He finished the game with 25 points, six rebounds, and four assists. The rookie followed it up by filling up the stat sheet in the Lakers’ second game against the Boston Celtics. He scored 19 points, hauled in three rebounds, stole the ball thrice, dished two assists, and blocked one shot, in a stellar effort.
The Lakers dubbed landing a Knecht a “steal,” and so far he’s repaying the franchise’s faith in him. If he brings his Summer League form to the regular season, fans and analysts might leave Bronny alone and focus on the 23-year-old exploits.
