Bronny James‘ performance in the concluding NBA preseason garnered the attention of columnists Jason Whitlock and Steve Kim. The two ridiculed James’ persistent lousy performance, which, at one point, never made any contribution despite being on the court.
James, the son of the NBA great LeBron, was drafted in the second round of the previous league draft for the Los Angeles Lakers. This surprising draft was a significant milestone for many, which marked the first in the league’s history to have a father-and-son duo playing together.
However, the former USC Trojan also received backlash from many insiders, who think he is still unprepared for the professional league. In his first and last college season, the rookie player averaged 4.8 points, 2.1 assists, and 2.8 rebounds, which, for some, is still enough for the NBA.
The criticisms even worsened as James played on the court, wearing the Lakers jersey.
Throughout five preseason games, he only averaged a minuscule 1.6 points, 1.0 rebounds, 0.2 assists, and 0.8 rebounds.
In the recent episode of “Fearless,” Whitlock’s co-host Kim noted James’ poor performance in the NBA, particularly in the game against the Milwaukee Bucks, where he was zero in every stat.
“It’s a great story. Lot of YouTube channels are getting content out of it. … Bronny had 0-for-4 shooting, no points, no rebounds, no assists. It’s a historic performance, Jason [Whitlock]. It’s a quadruple zero,” Kim said.
“Bronny had 0/4 shooting, no points, no rebounds, and no assists. It’s a historic performance. It’s the quadruple zero.” – @SteveKim323 on Bronny’s performance in the NBA pic.twitter.com/uiaVxyk4JZ
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) October 19, 2024
James’ lousy performance alarmed many, even the fans. It went to the point where the fans booed him during the match against the Pheonix Suns, who, despite being paired with his father at the court on one end, still gave a disappointing performance of zero points.
Bronny James redeems himself in last preseason game
When all odds were against him, Bronny James made a surprising move when he arguably played his best game against the Golden State Warriors. James, despite facing formidable enemies, still heated up.
In the particular match, James scored 17 points, shooting seven out of 17 attempts. He also made four rebounds and three steals. Fellow rookie Quincy Olivari assisted him with 22 points and seven rebounds.
The match saw Lakers head coach JJ Redick deploying only one of his roster’s fresh players, which included James. Meanwhile, the Warriors deployed most of their veteran and rookie players.
The Warriors did win in a dominating manner, 132-74. However, the game also featured a shocking performance from James. The match officially ended the Lakers’ preseason games with a standing of 2-4.
People might once more see Bronny James in action in the Lakers’ first actual game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 23. It’s still not guaranteed whether the rookie guard will finally display his much-awaited performance such as the one against the Warriors.
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