Can Bronny James Become A Legit NBA Player?

Bronny James has set the internet on fire after yesterday’s performance against the Bucks. The Lakers rested all of their best players and Bronny managed to play a career-high 30 minutes off the bench. Although this depleted Lakers team couldn’t compete with a strong Milwaukee team and got blown out, Bronny James took all the headlines, dropping 17 points and 5 assists. With all of the talk that has surrounded Bronny about nepotism and his belonging in the NBA, especially with the recent incident between Stephen A Smith and LeBron, he has finally been able to put out a performance that shows he can survive in this league. Even his biggest detractors have to admit that he played well yesterday. Will this be the new norm? Or was this performance a fluke?

Daddy Issues:

The cold hard truth is that Bronny James is only in the NBA because he’s LeBron James’s son. Everybody knows this. LeBron had been talking about playing by his son's side for years and he successfully facilitated his dream by convincing the Lakers' front office to select Bronny 55th overall. Bronny was nothing special at USC, averaging just 5 pts on horrendous shooting splits in about  19 minutes per game. To be fair, he had to go through a rough heart attack scare before the season, but let’s just say if his name was John James he wouldn’t have even been looked at in Draft. 

The clear nepotism on display from LeBron has led to massive criticism from the media and Bronny has been discussed more than any other 55th pick in NBA history. Even the little 1 or 2-minute cameos Bronny has gotten off the bench this year have been ridiculed especially by social media. The Bronny saga reached it’s zenith with the very public altercation between LeBron James and Stephen A Smith on March 6 at a Lakers-Knicks matchup.

Smith had been discussing and criticizing Bronny the whole season and had made recent comments that “Bronny James is in the NBA because of his dad”. LeBron decided to confront him over these comments during a game and told him to leave his son alone. The confrontation sparked large discussions about media criticism boundaries, but most importantly it highlighted the issue of Bronny even more. LeBron’s reaction only served to prove Bronny’s seemingly protected status. Why can’t a professional basketball player on a guaranteed 3-year NBA contract be criticized by the Media? Why does being LeBron’s son make you invincible? This entire situation only added to the scrutiny on Bronny, making it seem like his overprotective father was speaking on his behalf as if he was still in Middle School or something.

Bronny's Game

It’s a shame that LeBron’s actions currently and to get Bronny into the league are what is talked about because Bronny might have the potential to become a legitimate NBA player by himself. Bronny has spent most of this season in the G-League for the South Bay Lakers and has actually managed to put up impressive stats, averaging 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. He shoots 43% from the field and 36% from the 3-point range. Growing up around LeBron and playing at a high level since a young age has clearly given Bronny a great understanding of the game. He makes smart decisions on the court and is a team player.

Athletically, he has solid explosiveness and a solid build. His vertical and strength are certainly NBA-caliber, and his shooting mechanics are smoother than his Dad’s and his percentages should only get better as he ages. Of course, the G-League isn’t even comparable to the competitiveness of the NBA, but there is clearly a player somewhere in Bronny. If Bronny can translate even 50% of this output to the NBA there is no reason why he can’t establish himself in the league, and the Bucks game was a showcase of what he might be able to offer.

Against a good NBA team, in the Milukake Bucks, Bronny didn’t look out of place whatsoever. Of course, he was helped by playing in a depleted team, where he was able to get more touches and of course more minutes. However, it's undeniable just how good he looked, especially in the first half when the game was still competitive. His shot looked good, his passing was on point, and particularly his ball-handling looked tight. Being only 6’3” Bronny will probably have to be a point guard if he wants to be successful in the league and ball-handling will be key if he has to play the point. Yesterday, he showed that he can handle the ball and dribble successfully against NBA players. Look at this crossover he hit against Giannis.

There is potential there that is waiting to be realized. Bronny has the opportunity to prove the legacy media and social media wrong. He has the tools to be a good NBA role player, and potentially even better. You have to feel bad for the kid, being given all the pressure from being named LeBron James Jr. LeBron was even touted in 2023 on Twitter that Bronny was NBA level while in high school. The expectations are bigger than with any 55th pick ever. The world is against him, but with the right mindset and hard work, and hopefully, his dad taking a back seat, Bronny can show the world that he really belongs in the NBA.