Bronny James wasted no time to make an impact after his return to G-League action following a hiatus in the past few weeks due to a hamstring injury. The teenager’s performance was essential to stop the bleeding for the South Bay Lakers and ending their four-game losing streak.
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James Jr. joined the starting lineup against the San Diego Clippers as the point guard and lodged the best performance of his young career. He recorded 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists on restricted playing time (22 minutes).
Lakers fans were pleased after his performance. They even displayed faith in him improving once he regained his form from the three-point land (went 0-4 3FG tonight). “Wait till those threes start dropping,” one fan wrote.
Wait till those threes start dropping
— ⁶ (@RedickGotNext) December 8, 2024
On the flip side, several naysayers criticized media houses for glorifying such a mediocre stat line. One user even claimed that the bar has been set so low for LeBron James’ son that a mere 16-point outing in the G-League is being given so much importance.
The standard for him has gotten so bad
— Aidan LaPorta (@AidanLaPorta69) December 8, 2024
Really posting a gleague stat line of scoring 16 points on 15 shots.
— kyle stivala (@kylestivala1919) December 8, 2024
Supporters are hoping for James Jr. to silence such doubters. This was Bronny’s first decent performance of the season. Hopefully, this will give him the confidence to improve further and really translate such performances on the NBA floor.
James Jr. has had a lackluster start to his career
Being LeBron James’ son comes with a lot of pressure. So far, Bronny has been unable to prove his worth, failing to deal with the sea of expectations.
The 20-year-old went scoreless in three out of the five games he set foot on the NBA hardwood. His stint in the G-League has been shorter, having played merely three games so far. In this span, the two-way player has averaged 8.6 points, 3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game.
The former USC Trojan’s shot selection has been a huge concern so far. Irrational and hasty decisions have resulted in poor efficiency – 16.7% FG in the NBA and 27.4% FG in the G-League. Additionally, Bronny also needs to become a better playmaker, get his teammates involved, to excel in his role as a point guard.
Continuing to grab the boards and improve his defensive game will help compensate for his offensive struggles, allowing him to contribute to the team in other ways.
These struggles indicate that continuing his stint in the G-League may be the right choice for Bronny’s development.
