Since being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers as the 55th pick in this year's NBA Draft, everyone has been wondering how Bronny James will prove himself to the Lakeshow and showcase his talent in the shadow of his father, LeBron James. However, in the most recent episode of Gil's Arena, Gilbert Arenas hilariously clarified what the 19-year-old is expected to bring to the franchise beginning next year.
"Go Daddy Go! … Okay, what you need? Some towels, here is some water. Sit there, talk to the coach. As a second-round pick, what do you expect? Him to learn, understand, be cheerful, but he is going to be that anyway," Arenas exclaimed .
A rough Summer League campaign
Although he has the full support of the Lakers, from his father to the front office and down to the rest of the franchise, it's still intriguing to imagine how Bronny will be managed for the upcoming NBA season to flourish his growth.
Despite nepotism claims and backlash surrounding his entry to the NBA, Bronny at least has shown plenty of defensive promise and serviceable traits for the Lakers in their ongoing Summer League outing, but his overall struggles are downright glaring.
In his appearance in L.A.'s three Summer League showcases, the younger James tallied a horrific 6-of-26 shooting from the field, 0-of-12 from 3-point range, and a total of 15 combined points. In their loss Friday against the Houston Rockets, he went for a mediocre 8 points on 3-of-14 shooting and 0-of-8 misfires from three across 27 minutes of action.
His underwhelming play can only force Bronny to openly admit that he's experiencing an unwanted "little slump" amid the basketball world's anticipation of how he'll potentially fare on a much bigger stage of the Association a few months later.
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Bronny is still developing
From what he has shown thus far, it is safe to conclude that Bronny will need more time to transform into an NBA-ready player. There is a reason why he dropped at No. 55 in the draft. He remains a project, and the Lakers will require him to put in much work from the opportunities he'll obtain. Upon this process, he is bound for tons of G-League assignments next season as he's undoubtedly incapable of hitting the league.
From this, expectations must be lowered for Bronny's approach to the 2024-25 season. Surely enough, he is a polarizing young player with all of the narratives he has gained since making it to the NBA as the son of LBJ. But the Lakers have moved to select him in the draft as they are committed to his development, and this process is just starting right now.
His current run in the Summer League has been offering plenty of growing pains. But Bronny can only be optimistic, as this is part of the learning progress he has to embark on to solidify his place in the league.
Related: Rob Parker rips the Lakers for 'the worst decision in the history of sports' by drafting Bronny James
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