Los Angeles Lakers Teammate Speaks Out Strongly About Bronny James
A teammate of Bronny James on the Los Angeles Lakers recently spoke out strongly about the rookie.
Evan Massey | 7 Hours Ago
Jul 10, 2024; San Francisco, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James Jr. (9) during the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat at Chase Center. / Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
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Bronny James is gearing up for his rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was drafted with the No. 55 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, but has received harsh criticism and hate since.
After struggling a bit to begin Summer League, the criticism really started pouring in. Many were calling him a bust already. The criticism he was receiving was almost as bad as if the No. 1 overall pick had come out and struggled in Summer League action.
Despite all of the harsh takes that he has received, James has remained grounded. He's simply focused on his development and the upcoming season.
Being able to play with his father, LeBron James, is a dream come true. He may not see much time on an NBA court with him outside of the preseason, but he will continue working and let things come to him as the hard work pays off.
Austin Reaves, one of his teammates on the Lakers, spoke out recently about James. He had a strong take that was the opposite of what the haters have been saying.
“I also can’t wait to see Bronny grow. Obviously, he gets a bad rap because of who his dad is. Everybody’s going to hold him to the standards of his dad when the kid just wants to play and have fun and create his own path so I can’t wait to get around him and see him grow and ultimately make a career for himself in his own way.”
Coming behind a father like LeBron would be no easy task for any player. The younger James is facing more pressure than most young players because of that fact.
Not long ago, James was one of the most talked about players in college basketball with the USC Trojans. He was also receiving huge deals in the NIL marketplace.
On3 had listed his NIL valuation at a shocking $5.9 million at one point in time. James was finding success off the court at a higher level than any other young player in the country.
Those days may be gone, but he needs to attack the process the same way that got him to the NBA. He's already showing signs of being an elite defender. His offensive game needs work, but he's capable of improving.
All of the expectations and criticism will remain the same. Things aren't going to be easy for him.
Despite those facts, the franchise and his teammate are in his corner and he's in a great place for his future.
