Subscribe
Follow Us
It looks like Bronny James won't be seeing action in the Los Angeles Lakers' second Summer League game. Spectrum SportsNet's Mike Trudell reports that the 6-foot-2 guard is experiencing some trace swelling in his left knee, meaning that he'll be held out of Sunday's clash against the Golden State Warriors. Regardless, James is expected to return on Wednesday when LA takes on the Miami Heart.
Bronny James' debut
The 19-year-old stepped on the court for the first time as a Laker on Saturday, when the purple and gold fell to the Sacramento Kings. James finished with four points, two assists and two rebounds in a little less than 22 minutes of playing time. He went just 2-of-9 (22%) from the field, missing all his attempts from downtown.
His debut performance resulted in various reactions from fans, many of which were critical in nature. Still, it wasn't all Negative Nancys following Saturday's outing — being the son of a polarizing figure means that one will have plenty of supporters as well. And against the Kings, James felt the cheers from Chase Center spectators.
“The atmosphere, it was more than I expected,” James said, per ClutchPoints' David Yapkowitz. “It’s a big game for me, but I didn’t know the people of Golden State would come and rep for me, so that was pretty nice to see.”
Imagine that. Considering how LeBron James is seen by most San Francisco sports fans as a rival, the support for his son is a testament to how there's a positive space amid all the fault-finding.
Moving forward
It's not easy being the son of an NBA legend if one decides to pursue basketball. The pressure, attention and expectations will continuously be burdens that are nearly impossible to be rid of. While Bronny's critics will never cease to throw disapproval until he excels on the court, one thing he can do is focus on the side of the basketball community that actually wants him to succeed.
And besides, James will have plenty of time to find his footing in the league, looking at how he just signed a four-year, $7.9 million rookie deal with the Lakers. For now, fans will have to wait until Wednesday to see the youngster in action again. The looming clash against Miami will be one of five more Summer League games for the Lakers, who are in the midst of preparing their rookies and prospects for the upcoming season.
