“Top 5 for Rookie of the Year”: Gilbert Arenas Argues Bronny James Would Be in ROTY Conversations if He Played More Minutes

Gilbert Arenas recently discussed Bronny James’ potential, claiming the 20-year-old would be considered among the top rookies this year if he had more opportunities. James has been excellent in the G League as of late, but Arenas clearly believes the guard belongs in the pros.

Gil believes that if Bronny were given more minutes with the Lakers, he’d be in the conversation for Rookie of the Year. The former Washington Wizard pointed to the USC product’s per-36 numbers to highlight his potential.

“If they played [Bronny] 36 minutes, he’d be averaging 12, 4 and 4,” Arenas said. “He’d be top 5 for Rookie of the Year.”

Considering the lack of playing time Bronny has received as a rookie, per-36 numbers aren’t necessarily a great projection of what he could’ve been this year, but Gil is convinced otherwise.

Bronny has been the victim of intense scrutiny since declaring for the NBA Draft last summer. So at the very least, it’s nice to see a positive light shone on the 55th overall pick.

With only 18 NBA appearances under his belt, it’s hard to predict what Bronny could be in the association. But the 6-foot-2 playmaker has worked on his craft in the G League and has improved immensely during his time with the South Bay Lakers.

Bronny James’ G League performances have turned heads

Averaging just 1.4 points per game in a handful of garbage time opportunities, Bronny James hasn’t shown enough to warrant conversations about his Rookie of the Year chances. But he’s already accomplished more than the majority of 55th picks ever do in the NBA, contrary to popular belief.

Many players selected in the same position as Bronny never even touch a court in their NBA careers. Some don’t even come over from their home country even after a team spent a pick on them. Bronny, on the other hand, has already proven to be worth the Lakers’ extremely low-cost investment.

After an unimpressive start in the G League’s Tip-Off Tournament, Bronny has transformed into one of the G’s most intriguing talents. Even after he was publicly embarrassed by Stephen A. Smith public discussion of his personal conversation with LeBron, Bronny has continued to produce.

In nine regular season matchups, Bronny is posting a solid 21.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.3 assists while consistently playing over 30 minutes per game. He wouldn’t be posting the same stats in the NBA even with the same opportunity, obviously, but his performances do bring optimism that he’ll eventually become a bonafide NBA talent.