Bronny James’ Los Angeles Lakers summer league teammates were reportedly frustrated by the treatment LeBron’s son received in Las Vegas over the last few weeks.
The younger James was taken with the 55th pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, but since getting his four-year, $7.9 million deal earlier this month, the 19-year-old has faced accusations of nepotism. In this case, sources were concerned that Bronny’s on-court opportunities in summer league hurt other players’ chances to make an NBA roster ahead of the upcoming 2024-25 season.
‘… you could feel that there was no unity [between] this group of guys as Bronny was the main guy and the others didn’t feel that it was right, that he deserved that,’ one Lakers insider told the U.S. Sun.
‘And with dealing with Bronny’s attention and treatment, plenty of the other young guys that are trying to make the roster for next season couldn’t show their best side and show their A game.’
One member of the Lakers’ summer league team confirmed to the Sun that ‘almost everything centered around Bronny.’
Bronny James runs up the court against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first half on July 18
LeBron James trained in Las Vegas for the Olympics, but has since traveled to Paris
‘I mean, he was treated as someone apart, not like all of us, and that is very annoying as we didn’t feel any chemistry in this group of players,’ the unnamed summer league player told the Sun.
‘I ended up being very frustrated because I was never put in the best situation, or even put in some plays or game plans because they wanted Bronny to show his s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s and shine,’ the unnamed player said.
‘The tensions were visible, and pretty much we were all thinking about the end of the Summer League to get out of here and focus on our next step in our careers.’
That player cautioned that the situation may not have been Bronny’s fault, while the Lakers inside noted they have ‘nothing against’ LeBron’s son.
Regardless, the experience was unpleasant for the Lakers’ locker room, according to the report.
‘It was pretty much Bronny On Tour,’ his teammate said.
The anonymous insider also complained that Bronny’s reps prevented the rookie guard from speaking to reporters, which may have put his teammates in a difficult situation.
‘This isn’t a good look for us,’ the insider told the Sun.
Bronny also made his first ever career three-pointer against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday
Bronny was a spectator after Lakers determined that they have seen all they need out of the NBA’s most talked-about rookie.
He finished summer league on an upward trajectory after a dismal start, scoring 25 points on 10-of-21 shooting over his final two games. That included making 3 of 8 baskets from 3-point range after going 0 for 15 in his first four games.
‘He had two pretty good games last two,’ Lakers Summer League coach Dane Johnson said. ‘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.’
Some fans were disappointed that the Lakers kept James on the bench, briefly breaking out a chant of ‘We want Bronny’ in the first quarter of Saturday’s 107-81 victory over the Chicago Bulls.
In Summer League stints in San Francisco and then Las Vegas, the son of NBA career scoring leader LeBron James opened shooting 7 for 31 overall. That fueled talk — or reinforced the notion — the Lakers had wasted their 55th pick as a favor to the face of the franchise.
The younger James quieted at least some of that talk with his performances Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks and the following night against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
‘In general, he doesn’t let any of that stuff get to him,’ Johnson said. ‘He just wants to play basketball and be on a team. He’s a good kid. He’s listening. He’s trying to learn.’
There is still plenty to learn.
At 6-foot-2, James has the build of a point guard, but he doesn’t bring the ball up the court because of concerns about his ballhandling. He instead has played shooting guard, which could be a problem when going against taller players at that position.
‘I think right now he’s more of a (shooting guard), but I think he could be a combo-ish,’ Johnson said. ‘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.’
James also has to show he can be a consistent perimeter shooter, and two promising games to end the summer won’t quell all the worries.
Bronny James splits the Cavs’ summer league defense during a recent game in Las Vegas
The Lakers likely will try to bring him along slowly, giving James a chance to work out some of the kinks in the G League. But the Summer League fan favorite also will get his chances with the big club, and one of the NBA’s most historic franchises knows the buzz James will generate when he gets called up.
No father-and-son duo has ever taken the court at the same time for an NBA game, and it’s rare for any major North American sport.
Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. shared the same Major League Baseball field in 1990 and 1991 with the Seattle Mariners. In the 1970s and ’80s, hockey legend Gordie Howe played with sons Marty and Mark with the WHA’s Houston Aeros and the NHL’s Hartford Whalers.
The fact the James family will join that list is something it won’t take for granted after Bronny’s health scare last summer. He went into cardiac arrest during a workout at the University of Southern California. James underwent surgery to fix what was diagnosed as a congenital heart defect, causing him to miss the beginning of the Trojans’ season.
He averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in his one college season, opting to declare for the NBA draft rather than return to USC.
