Bronny James: Pro or Not? Jaylen Brown Weighs In
Lakers guard Bronny James faced difficulties against the Boston Celtics during Monday’s Summer League matchup in Las Vegas. He scored just two points, shooting one-for-five and going zero for three from beyond the arc.
NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown had a courtside seat to watch his Boston Celtics defeat the Lakers that night. This provided him with a front-row view of one of the NBA’s most anticipated rookies, Bronny James, son and now teammate of LeBron James. The 55th overall pick in this year’s draft played 25 minutes, ending the game with two points, three rebounds, one assist, and two turnovers.
During the game, TV cameras captured a conversation between Brown and his girlfriend, former WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick. Brown seemed to comment, “I don’t think Bronny is a pro,” to which Gondrezick appeared to respond, “I think he’ll be on the G League team, for sure.” Brown seemed to conclude, “Because of his name, he’s gonna be with the Lakers.”
Chicago Sky star rookie Angel Reese was also present but did not join the conversation about Bronny James.
Early Tuesday, Brown acknowledged the video of his conversation with Gondrezick without denying the remarks. He expanded on his thoughts regarding the 19-year-old former USC player joining his 39-year-old father on the Lakers roster. Brown tweeted, “It’s a flex to have your son alongside you in the NBA. It reflects greatness and longevity! Bronny has all the tools around him to be successful. I look forward to watching his growth.”
LeBron James, entering his 22nd season as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, has previously expressed his desire to play alongside his oldest son, although he has recently refrained from such statements.
Bronny James experienced sudden cardiac arrest during a Trojans workout last summer but resumed playing by December 10. As a USC freshman, he averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists over 25 games. After declaring for the draft in the spring and working out for only the Lakers and Phoenix Suns, he was drafted by his father’s team. On July 3, Bronny signed a guaranteed four-year contract potentially worth nearly $8 million, while LeBron re-signed with the Lakers on a two-year deal that includes a no-trade clause and a player option for the second season.
Bronny James has had a tough summer league, scoring 17 points over four games with a shooting performance of seven-of-31 and missing all 15 of his three-point attempts.
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