Bronny James is making a comeback in the NBA Summer League, scoring 12 points and helping the Los Angeles Lakers secure a victory.
On Wednesday, the son of LeBron James had his best performance in the Summer League, contributing to the Lakers’ 87-86 win against the Atlanta Hawks. Along with his 12 points, he also grabbed a rebound, made a steal, and had one turnover. The Lakers’ big man, Colin Castleton, led the team with 17 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists.
This game was particularly notable for James as he finally made his first 3-pointer in the Summer League. Prior to this game, he had missed all 16 attempts from beyond the arc. Overall, he shot 5-of-11 from the field and 2-of-5 from 3-point range.
Since being drafted as the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, James has been averaging 5.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 25.4 minutes over five Summer League games. However, his shooting percentages have been relatively low, with a 28.6% success rate from the field and only 10% from 3-point range.
The Lakers decided to rest their first-round draft pick Dalton Knecht for the game, as they were in the midst of a demanding schedule with six games in 11 days. Head coach JJ Redick and newly hired assistant coach Lindsey Harding were also present at the game.
This performance marks a significant improvement for James, who faced criticism and ridicule during the early stages of his professional career. Every time he touched the ball, or even when he didn’t, it seemed to spark debates about his standing in the NBA and whether he deserved to be there.
Playing in the Summer League, James is under immense pressure, given the team’s efforts to keep his father satisfied after he opted out of his contract. Additionally, his camp strategically maneuvered him into the Lakers’ roster through the draft, securing a guaranteed four-year, $7.9 million deal.
Although the Summer League shouldn’t be the sole determinant of a player’s potential, Bronny James did manage to secure a victory on Wednesday. He will have one final opportunity to secure another win on Thursday when he faces off against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Here is a breakdown of Bronny James’ performance in the Summer League:
- July 6: In a 108-94 loss to the Sacramento Kings, James scored 4 points, shooting 2-of-9 from the field and 0-of-3 from beyond the arc. He also contributed 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and had 0 turnovers in 22 minutes of play.
- July 7: Unfortunately, James was unable to participate in the game against the Golden State Warriors due to knee swelling. The team suffered a 92-68 loss.
- July 10: James scored 3 points in the game against the Miami Heat, shooting 1-of-3 from the field and 0-of-1 from three-point range. He grabbed 5 rebounds, dished out 3 assists, committed 2 turnovers, and played for 29 minutes. The team fell short with a score of 80-76.
- July 12: In a 99-80 loss to the Houston Rockets, James scored 8 points. However, he struggled with his shooting, going 3-of-14 from the field and missing all 8 of his three-point attempts. He also grabbed 5 rebounds, recorded 0 assists, and had 3 turnovers in 27 minutes of play.
- July 15: James scored 2 points in a game against the Boston Celtics, shooting 1-of-5 from the field and 0-of-3 from beyond the arc. He also contributed 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and had 2 turnovers in 25 minutes of play. The team suffered an 88-74 loss.
These statistics provide a glimpse into James’ performance throughout the Summer League games.
On July 17th, in a thrilling 87-86 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, James scored 12 points. He made 5 of his 11 shots, including 2 of 5 from beyond the arc. In addition to his scoring, he grabbed 1 rebound and recorded 0 assists. However, he did commit 1 turnover in his 24 minutes of play.
A fun fact to note is that before Wednesday’s game, the official @NBA X account had shared videos of all but one of James’ seven made shots in the previous four games. This tweet reached a massive audience of 46.5 million followers. Surprisingly, on Wednesday, they only provided two of his shots. But no need to worry, ESPN stepped in and posted the remaining two shots for everyone to enjoy.