The Los Angeles Lakers beat out the Cleveland Cavaliers in a close 93-89 finish on Wednesday night in Las Vegas. This puts the Lakers at a 2-2 record for the NBA Summer League, but the attention of many was focused on one person alone: Bronny James.
Everyone has had eyes on Bronny James since he was drafted, and he performed against the Cavaliers, scoring 13 points for the Lakers. This was the second highest on the team, behind Dalton Knecht, who scored 20. However, Bronny has not been producing these results every night.
Bronny shot 50% from the field, going 1-3 on three point attempts, stats that still leave fans wondering if Bronny is ready for the regular season competition. If his stats from college carry over into the regular season, then there could be disappointment in store.
Bronny was taken in the second round at the 55th overall pick in the 2024 draft after just one year at University of Southern California. During his short time at USC, Bronny averaged 4.8 PPG, coupled with a shooting percentage just below 37% and 2.1 assists per game. Stats like these have critics calling into question his legitimacy in the NBA.
However, the Summer League is seeing Bronny’s improvement. In the last four games, Bronny has averaged 8.8 PPG, still below the NBA average of 10.2, but well above the averages that he had in college.
While people debate on whether he is ready or not, Bronny is continuing to put the effort into every minute he plays, and eyes will continue to follow his progress into the regular season. Come that time, his debut in the regular season will be something to remember.
The next Lakers game is Saturday, July 20th, at 7 PM ET against the Chicago Bulls.
