LeBron James‘ eldest son, Bronny, has drawn a lot of attention since the Los Angeles Lakers selected him 55th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, and he’s already experiencing some early critics. Which is why Draymond Green has recently come to his defense.
In the wake of a report that claimed an anonymous Lakers player felt Bronny got “special treatment” during the Summer League, the Golden State Warriors star took to social media with a message against James’ haters.
“Any player that is actually drafted will be showcased and favored more in summer league. . . .These things are getting dumber and dumber,” Green wrote on an Instagram story.
According to the US Sun, Bronny James made a Lakers teammate upset with the reported special attention he got in his first tournament on the purple and gold uniform. But Green made sure to deny this, claiming it’s normal for NBA teams to give more playing time to recently drafted players in the Summer League.
How did Bronny James fare in the NBA Summer League?
Bronny James made six appearances in the Summer League that took place in Las Vegas and also showed up at the California Classic. LeBron’s eldest son averaged 7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1 steal while shooting 32.7 of his field goals, with 13 percent shooting from beyond the arc and 62.5 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
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Since we’re talking about the son of one of, if not the greatest player of all time, all eyes have been on Bronny during these games, with the player facing early criticism for a slow start before he turned up his game.
His offensive work may be the biggest area to improve on, especially when it comes to three-point shooting. But just like he did in college, Bronny looked much better in defense.
What role will Bronny James have with the Lakers?
Chances are Bronny James will spend most of the upcoming season with the Lakers G League affiliate South Bay Lakers, though he’s expected to get the chance to play alongside LeBron in LA for some games, becoming the first father-son duo in NBA history.
“Well, what the Lakers’ expectations are is he’ll largely be a G-League player like almost any 19-year-old player coming into the league drafted in the second round,” reported Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Bronny James #6 of the West team talks to LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers after the 2023 McDonald’s High School Boys All-American Game at Toyota Center on March 28, 2023 in Houston, Texas.
LeBron James says Bronny’s Summer League performance don’t matter
Speaking to the media while his son made his first steps with the Lakers, LeBron James made it clear he wouldn’t consider relevant how Bronny ended up performing in the Summer League.
“What he does in the California Classic and Summer League, it doesn’t matter if he plays well and it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t play well,” LeBron said. “I just want him to continue to grow. Practices, film sessions, his individual workouts. You can’t take anything stat-wise from the California Classic and Summer League and bring it once the season starts. The only thing that matters is him getting better and stacking days.“
