While a lot of basketball fans were watching Team USA's exhibition game against Canada on Wednesday night, there was also some Summer League action that took place too. Most notably, Bronny James took the court once again for the Los Angeles Lakers in their 80-76 loss at the hands of the Miami Heat.
The Lakers are now 0-3 in their Summer League action, but that doesn't really matter much at the end of the day. What does matter is that these young players get experience on the court, particularly rookies who are looking to find their way in the NBA. For James, that's precisely what the Summer League is offering for him.
As the son of LeBron James, expectations are going to be high for Bronny, even though he didn't exactly shine during his only season in college, which led to him falling all the way to the 55th overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft. Still, he has tons of potential, and that was on full display in the Lakers latest action against the Heat.
How did Bronny James perform against the Heat?
While this was the Lakers third Summer League game, James only played in their opening 108-94 loss against the Sacramento Kings, as he was held out of their second contest the next night against the Golden State Warriors. Bronny struggled against the Kings (4 PTS, 2 REB, 2 AST, 2-9 FGM), so everyone was curious to see how he'd perform against Miami.
James didn't score much against the Heat, but he still managed to impact the game in several different ways (3 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, 1-3 FGM). Bronny showed his willingness to attack the glass and move the ball on offense, and perhaps most importantly, he wasn't forcing shots up like he did in his first Summer League action against the Kings.
More notably, though, was the fact that James was a menace on the defensive end of the floor in this one. He snatched a pair of steals, while also swatting away three shots on that side of the ball, which is very encouraging to see from the talented prospect. When your shot isn't falling on offense, it's important to find different ways to stay involved in the game, and that's precisely what Bronny managed to do in this game.
There is still a lot of room for improvement for the young guard. In the scoring department, he hasn't looked all that comfortable, but it was good to see him be more selective with his shots after a tough performance against the Kings. Bronny isn't going to be a 20-point scorer right away, but he doesn't have to be. Letting the shots come to him, rather than actively seeking them out, is the best way for him to make an impact on the court for the Lakers right now.
And yet, James showed why the sky could be the limit for him if he could figure out how to score the ball consistently. He's a willing defender who can make an impact in several different areas of the game, so assuming he can get his shot worked out, Bronny has the makings of being a skilled three-and-d player when he fully realizes his potential.
Some fans will see the three points and immediately assume this was another tough game for James, but it's actually quite the opposite. This is a performance that he can build off of moving forward, and it will be interesting to see how he performs in Los Angeles' next Summer League contest against the Houston Rockets on Friday night.
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