Despite being selected as a second-round pick in the 2024 NBA draft, Bronny James has easily been the most discussed and talked-about rookie entering the league. While expectations were high for the 19-year-old to prove his mettle on the professional stage, his first exposure to mainstream basketball in the Summer League has proved disappointing.
As Young James has struggled immensely on the offensive end, scoring only 15 points on 6-of-26 shooting in the first three games he’s played in for the Purple and Gold, Kermit Washington sympathized with him for having his confidence severely compromised. Moreover, he even compared Bronny to Gary Payton II.
Kermit honest thoughts on Bronny
While the prevailing opinions suggested that James Jr. possessed elite perimeter shooting and playmaking abilities, these attributes have been notably absent from his Summer League showtimes so far. While the former Lakers forward feels that the constant scrutiny has had a direct impact on Bronny’s morale and confidence, he made it clear that the latter is not yet ready for the NBA just yet.
Moreover, pointing out how Bronny, an undersized point guard, is getting bullied on both ends of the floor, the one-time All-Star only ‘prayed’ for James Jr. not to ‘suffer’ unnecessarily against more experienced players.
"He's a point guard and he has to have really good handles and he really doesn't have really good handles yet. Next, you have to be a good outside shooter, and he's not a good outside shooter, " Washington said. "I feel bad for him because I know, even though you see him smiling, he's suffering inside… He reminds me a lot of Gary Payton's son. He just hustles and he's a very aggressive player… He's just not ready, but since you've already made him ready, please save the kid. Don't let him suffer out there."
In his first three games, Bronny had some trouble on offense but showed his grit on defense with 12 rebounds, five steals, and three blocks. However, in the fourth game against the Boston Celtics, he really struggled on both sides of the floor, ending up with more fouls (3) than points (2) and no steals or blocks.
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Washington urges LeBron and the Lakers to take time to develop Bronny
There’s no denying that James Jr. requires time to develop his confidence and skill set for the big stage, and if he is thrown hastily, before time, against the more formidable players on the NBA hardwood, the results could be catastrophic. Highlighting the same, Kermit urged LeBron to make sure his firstborn is in a better physical condition to be able to hold himself on the defensive end.
Lastly, the 72-year-old also requested that the Lakers’ coaching staff not force Bronny onto the big stage if he fails to improve his current game.
"I hope that they work with him and they're slow with him," Kermit added. "I don't want to see something tragic happen because mentally he's not doing well, you can tell."
While Bronny has been the subject of considerable ridicule, it is important to acknowledge the immense mental fortitude required to bear the weight of his family’s legacy from the outset of his career. Will the 19-year-old be able to prove his critics wrong? Only time will tell.
Related: “I’ve gone from trying to evaluate Bronny as ‘how good he can be’ to ‘can he play?’” – Skip Bayless is starting to doubt if Bronny James belongs at this level
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