The Los Angeles Lakers have been holding their own while LeBron James is out. Even after losing to the Milwaukee Bucks 118-89 on Thursday, they have a 3-3 record since LeBron James, the four-time MVP, injured his groin against the Boston Celtics. Luckily, even without the famous LeBron James, the Lakers still have another player with the same name.
That’s because they also have his son, Bronny James. He played for 30 minutes on Thursday and made the most of his time. In those 30 minutes, he scored 17 points, making 7 out of 10 shots. He tied with Dalton Knecht as the team’s top scorer, but his most impressive play was a pass, just like his father is known for.
LeBron James is famous for his fastbreak passes. Bronny also had one of these, passing to teammate Markieff Morris for an easy layup in the second quarter.
The younger James hasn’t been getting much playing time, even with the Lakers’ recent injuries. Before Thursday, he had never played more than 15 minutes and 43 seconds in an NBA game, and he had never scored ten or more points.
But Thursday was the perfect chance for him to show he deserves to be in the NBA. The Lakers were missing not only his father, but all of their usual starters except Jaxson Hayes. This opened up a lot of playing time in the backcourt, and James played well enough to keep those minutes. This game was his biggest step forward as a professional, at least in the NBA.
James has been doing well in the G-League this season, scoring over 20 points per game in nine games. He still needs to improve before he can play with his father regularly. He is small for a guard who focuses on defense, being under 6-2, and his jump shot still needs work.
However, James was once thought to be a potential first-round draft pick, and Thursday’s game showed why. He is slowly but surely getting better. This might not get him into the playoff lineup for the Lakers, but it’s a good sign for his future.
Jasper Hawthorne