Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James found a defender in Scotty Pippen Jr., as the Memphis Grizzlies point guard likened the young James to himself, particularly with both of them going through the G-League at first.
In his appearance at the “Sloane Knows” podcast, Scotty Pippen Jr. talked about Bronny James and the criticism he has faced in the past. For him, the young rookie has shown improvement over time, particularly with how he has performed in the G-League.
“You’re going to see a lot more guys in the G-League come to the NBA and do special things,” Pippen Jr. said. “For someone like Bronny, I feel like it’s good that he’s able to go down there and just play. You know at first he started a little shaky but he’s putting up numbers now and people really aren’t saying too much.”
Bronny James has faced significant criticism and scrutiny since entering the NBA, with many attributing his inclusion in the league to his father, LeBron James’ influence rather than his own merit.
Critics, including ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, have suggested that Bronny’s entry into the NBA was primarily due to nepotism. Smith’s comments sparked a heated exchange with LeBron, who defended his son and confronted Smith during a Lakers game.
Former NFL player Emmanuel Acho supported LeBron’s defense of Bronny, criticizing the culture of sports media for making personal attacks on athletes’ families.
On the other hand, some, like NFL veteran Channing Crowder, defended Smith’s criticism, arguing that being LeBron’s son should not make Bronny James immune to criticism. Crowder pointed out that Bronny’s performance in the NBA has not met the high expectations set by his father’s legacy, and thus, criticism is warranted.
Bronny James is Taking on a Career Path Similar to Scotty Pippen Jr.
Scotty Pippen Jr. and Bronny James Jr. share several similarities in their career paths beyond having NBA superstar fathers. Both players attended Sierra Canyon High School, where they honed their skills and gained significant attention. After high school, they each spent time in the G-League to further develop their game before making their mark in the NBA.
Scotty Pippen Jr. went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft but was signed by the LA Lakers to a two-way contract. He spent most of his rookie season with the South Bay Lakers, where he averaged 21.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game.
Similarly, Bronny James Jr. was selected in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft by the LA Lakers and has split his time between the G-League and the main roster. In the G-League, he has averaged 21.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
