Bronny James is often regarded as unprepared for the NBA. Chet Holmgren provided his thoughts on the Los Angeles Lakers rookie.
When discussing how much attention Bronny James has brought to Summer League action, hyperbole is unnecessary. The Los Angeles Lakers rookie has seized center stage at every opportunity, providing an electrifying viewing experience both at home and in person.
After laboring through the most of the Lakers’ first five games in Summer League, James is starting to put the pieces together and silence his doubters.
With standout rookie Dalton Knecht out, James stepped up to assist Colin Castleton lead the Lakers to their first Summer League victory. James finished with 12 points and a steal in 24 minutes, shooting 5-of-11 from the field and 2-of-5 from three.
The next time out, James took his game to the next level, recording 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and a three-pointer. It was easily his best Summer League effort to date, which elicited a mixed reaction.
Oklahoma City Thunder star Chet Holmgren jumped to James’ defense in a direct response to a controversial Jaylen Brown insult.
Bronny James tonight:
13 Points
5 Rebounds
3 Assists
2 Blocks
50% FG pic.twitter.com/rFPSNgJaAj— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 19, 2024
It’s a high-quality recommendation from a player who also received criticism before to the NBA Draft.
Chet Holmgren scoffs at criticism, endorses Bronny James as a pro
When Holmgren declared for the NBA Draft in 2022, he was confronted with persistent criticism for his slender build. Despite standing 7’1″ with a wingspan of 7’6″ and possessing guard-like skills, many people criticized his selection as the second overall pick.
Perhaps this influenced Holmgren’s belief that dubbing a player a failure before they have ever played an NBA game is at least partially unreasonable.
Clearly, there is a valid need to investigate a player’s skills and flaws before to their debut. Failure to do so would result in clubs making poor judgments at the NBA Draft, and it’s logical that fans or players would have their own ideas.
Writing a player off before they even get a chance to prove their doubters wrong has been an increasingly widespread practice.
James has yet to prove his doubters wrong or right, but he is obviously capable of more than what he demonstrated in his first two Summer League games. He’s rebounded with two solid outings in which he created opportunities for himself and others.
James has also played with intensity on defense during Summer League, which is his specialty.
Furthermore, James was taken at No. 55 overall, a position where no All-Star has ever been selected. As a result, while confronting historically erroneous expectations may sentence him to failure in the perspective of his detractors, it will not determine the course of his career.
James is in an unenviable circumstance, but he’s handling it well and delivering his greatest performances since high school. Holmgren took note.
