With all eyes on Bronny James in his Summer League debut vs. the Sacramento Kings, he put up 4 points (2-for-9 FG shooting), to go along with 2 rebounds, and 2 assists in a 108-94 loss.
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Some have noted that this statline looks awfully similar to his Freshman year at USC, where Bronny averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. With this in mind, he will hope to silence the critics as he showcases his talent the rest of the summer.
The slander on Bronny James is a bit too much. 👀
It's been less than a year since he suffered a cardiac arrest.
He played his first college game just 139 days after collapsing during a USC practice before his only season with the Trojans.
Bronny James saw limited minutes at… pic.twitter.com/TPFUkSxwRN
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 7, 2024
However, fans will have to be patient, as many were disappointed to find out the news that Bronny had to miss the second game vs. the Golden State Warriors because of swelling in his left knee, which led to those joking that he already started "load management" after just one game.
Bronny James has some trace swelling in his left knee, and will be held out of today’s second day of a back-to-back for precautionary reasons.
He’s expected to play in Wednesday’s final California Classic game vs. Miami.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) July 7, 2024
All in all, the 19-year-old has had to face scrutiny from the media and fans alike, due to the fact that many attribute him being in the NBA solely because of who his father is. When viewing the pressure put on his son, LeBron James spoke out on how none of the noise seemingly affects Bronny.
"I don't know if people really understand Bronny," James said in an interview with ESPN. "He doesn't care. I actually care a little bit. When I came in [as a rookie], I wanted people to like me and some of the things that people were saying about me kind of bothered me early on in my career... He doesn't give a f***.
"He does not care about nobody. He doesn't even listen to that stuff. He's like the coolest. He's like the complete opposite of his dad. His dad will say something [to address the critics]. Bro does not care... Everything that's being said about him, he really does not care."
Considering that LeBron is arguably the greatest basketball player and athlete ever to be born, Bronny has had to carry a lot of weight on his shoulders, as many are hoping he can take the torch from his 39-year-old father and continue the family greatness.
Important to realize, Bronny, a late second round draft pick (No. 55 overall), has had a different route to the league when comparing him to his pops. That is to say, LeBron was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, and after 21 seasons and counting, he went on to become the Rookie of the Year, a 20-time All-Star, 4-time MVP, 4-time champion, and the NBA's all-time leading scorer.
Those are some big shoes to fill, so no one can put those kind of expectations on LeBron's son, although many still will, considering all of the hype that surrounds the first father-son duo ever in NBA history.
When analyzing Bronny's performance in the Summer League exhibition games, LeBron tried to help alleviate some of the pressure, by claiming that his son's performance doesn't really matter.
"I just hope for [him to get] his feet wet in the NBA, the pace of the game, the speed of the game, the physicality of the game," LeBron said. "But what he does in the California Classic and Summer League, it doesn't matter if he plays well, and it doesn't matter if he doesn't play well. I just want him to continue to grow. Practices, film sessions, his individual workouts.
"You can't take anything stat-wise from the California Classic and Summer League and bring it once the season starts. The only thing that matters is him getting better and stacking days."
Bronny got caught in his Summer League debut 😬 pic.twitter.com/iAVNrgsLZd
— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) July 6, 2024
Bronny's next chance to play will come Wednesday, July 10 at 7 pm ET., when the Lakers take on the Miami Heat in the final California Classic matchup.
