By: Pranav Parlapall

On June 28th, 2024, Lebron (Bronny) James Jr. was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers as the 55th overall pick in the 2nd round of the 2024 NBA Draft. Bronny joined Lebron as the first father-son duo in NBA history. 

With the NBA summer league at its end, it’s time to evaluate Bronny’s season and what we can expect of him in the regular season. While Bronny only played six games, he was still able to get a vast amount of playing time, which is something expected when you’re the son of one of the greatest basketball players of all time. In his first game, Bronny wasn’t able to make the greatest impression as he only scored four points. In Bronny’s second game, he dropped that number to three points but was able to get two steals and three blocks. In the third game against the Houston Rockets, Bronny was able to show improvement with eight points but shot 3/14 from the field and went 0/8 from the three point line. This would then transfer to his fourth game against the Boston Celtics, where Bronny would only score two points and still struggle to make a three-pointer. However, his fifth game against the Atlanta Hawks would see him finally hit a three pointer–even two of them–and finish the game with 12 points. This would silence the critics and media as Bronny showed off his true game skill and knowledge. In his sixth and final game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bronny was able to finish the short season on a good note, racking up 13 points and two blocks. 

By the end of the season, Bronny averaged 8.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and one assist per game. While this may seem like a decent stat line, Bronny being the son of one of the greatest basketball players of all time puts him at a much higher standard. Yes he is young and of course, having the same expectations for Bronny as we did with his father might be a little too much pressure on him. Nevertheless, for a starter in the summer league that was the 55th round pick in the 2nd round of the draft, Bronny has to do better. With all of the opportunities he was given, such as the chance to play in the NBA and have a guaranteed contract, Bronny was very lucky. 

As the son of Lebron James, he has access to all the equipment, workout sessions, physical therapy, and guidance needed yet he still wasn’t able to have an outstanding performance. In order for him to have a breakout season, Bronny must show improvement and prove that he is a valuable player to the team. However, as the 55th round pick, he might not be able to get that much playing time but then again, he is the son of Lebron James, and a few adjustments will most likely be made so that he can play alongside his father. 

The Los Angeles Lakers, for the past two seasons, were in desperate need for a shooter. They have picked up several different players for that role in the past but none of them were able to be an efficient shooter for the team. This is where Bronny can make his appearance–by constantly practicing his shot and making his position as a spot-on shooter. If Bronny is able to become a good shooter, the Lakers will finally have a player that they can trust to make open shots. There are still three months until the regular season begins, so Bronny has plenty of time to perfect his shot and become a consistent shooter. 

As a 19 year old rookie, I understand that we can’t directly set a large amount of expectations and standards for Bronny, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t live up to some of them. With that being said, Bronny James being selected by the Los Angeles Lakers might not be the wisest decision but I am hoping to see exponential improvement before the regular season starts.