Bronny James wrapped up his 2024 Summer League run with averages of 8.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, visibly improving his game as he got more reps over the summer. Lakers Summer League coach Dane Johnson has broken down what he saw from Bronny and what his future could be like.
“He had two pretty good games last two. I think it’s just going to help him going into the summer so we can work on different things with him. Just that confidence and knowing he can play at this level. It’s still going to take a lot of time and a lot of reps.”
“In general, he doesn’t let any of that stuff get to him. He just wants to play basketball and be on a team. He’s a good kid. He’s listening. He’s trying to learn.”
Johnson explained that Bronny's position on the court is unclear as he is a solid combo guard. While he is undersized to be a shooting guard, he's not a strong enough playmaker to be a point guard.
“I think right now he’s more of a (shooting guard), but I think he could be a combo-ish. He picks up stuff really well. We throw stuff at him — plays, coverages, defensively. He kind of picks it up really quick, so I think he could potentially be (a point guard). Maybe we’ll work on that in the summer, but I think right now being that secondary playmaker is kind of where he’s at right now.”
Bronny has split opinion throughout Summer League, as he started out incredibly rough, missing shots and having minimal impact on the court. But his last two games showed flashes of the two-way 3-and-D player he could become in the NBA, effortlessly shooting the ball while keeping intense on-ball pressure on opposing ball-handlers.
Bronny shot 35.0% from the field and 15.8% from three, so it's clear his offensive game needs more work. But Bronny showed his ability to be an intense and active on-ball defender throughout the summer.
LeBron James Knows The Best From Bronny Is Yet To Come
Bronny has been written off easily as one of the real prospects in the 2024 Draft Class, with many believing Bronny is in the NBA solely for LeBron James. They are set to become the first father-son duo to play together, a goal James has discussed before.
LeBron isn't discouraged by his son's poor performances in the Summer League, assuring everyone that the best is yet to come.
“As a family, obviously we’re just proud of the fact that he’s even at this point. It doesn’t matter if he plays well, it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t play well. I mean, he’s 19 years old, so he has so much room to grow."
"He has so much more to learn, but the best thing, he just keeps his head down and just stays focused. So the best will continue to come as he continues to work and continues to get better and better.”
Hopefully, Bronny lives up to the hype his father has brought upon him. If he can't exceed expectations as a 55th pick, history will not remember his NBA career kindly.
