Jaylen Brown appears to say what everyone is thinking about Bronny James as Lakers rookie’s Summer League shooting nightmare continues
Jaylen Brown doesn't appear to be sold on Bronny James as an NBA prospect.
The Boston Celtics star and reigning NBA Finals MVP got a court-side view of LeBron James' eldest son on Monday night when he was in attendance for a Summer League game between the Lakers and Celtics in Las Vegas.
Brown was sitting alongside his girlfriend, Kysre Gondrezick, and WNBA rookie sensation Angel Reese.
Bronny, who was drafted 55th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, has struggled offensively all Summer League. His shooting slump continued on Monday night, shooting an air ball from the 3-point line where he's gone 0-15 during Summer League play.
During the game, Brown appeared to say what everyone else was thinking.
“Honestly, I don’t think Bronny is a pro," he appeared to say when NBATV cameras flashed to him.
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"I think he'll be on the G-League team, for sure," Gondrezick allegedly responded.
Fans also thought Brown added: "I don't think so, I think because of his name, he'll be on the Lakers."
"I mean they’re not wrong," posted one fan. "Why would someone who averaged 4 points a game on a bad college team be in the NBA?"
Brown caught wind of the viral footage and passionately came out in defence of Bronny.
"It’s a flex to have your son alongside you in the nba it reflects greatness and longevity!" Brown posted on X in response to the clip.
"Bronny has all the tools around him to be successful I look forward to watching his growth."
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Bronny finished the 88-74 defeat with two points, three rebounds and one assist, on 1-5 shooting from the field and 0-3 from 3-point range.
Despite his poor shooting performances, he has shown flashes of promise on the defensive side of the ball.
Against the Houston Rockets recently, he recorded two steals -- increasing his total to five in the summer league -- and often guarded Rockets rookie Reed Sheppard, the No. 3 pick in the draft.
Against the Celtics he showcased his raw athleticism with a monster block in the first quarter.
Bronny, who struggled during his lone year at USC and overcame cardiac arrest, is unlikely to ever be a team's No.1 option like his dad.
He's well aware of his own limitations, and even admitted he views himself as a defensively-minded player who can help out more skilled stars.
"I watch a lot of Davion Mitchell, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White," the 19-year-old said at the NBA Draft Combine.
"The guys that excel in their role and are locked into what they’re supposed to do. My goal isn’t really to be ‘that guy.’ There’s a lot of guys in the NBA that have that role already."
While he has shown abilities as an on-ball defender, it's clear Bronny will have to improve offensively if he's to make it in The Association.
Guards who can't shoot a lick are hard to find in the modern NBA which priorities perimeter shooting over almost any other attribute.
"I just feel like I'm in a little slump right now," he recently said. "My shot wasn’t falling today but I just need to continue to get the reps in and get better."
Bronny, who signed a rookie deal for four years worth $7.9 million, with a team option for the fourth season, may have to iron out his offensive shortcomings in the G League.
LeBron and Bronny are the first active father-son duo to be on the same NBA team but it's clear the younger James needs time to develop.
The Summer League is hardly the be-all and end-all and nobody expected Bronny to enter the league like his dad did in 2003.
Dane Johnson, the Lakers' summer league coach, shrugged off the younger James' early offensive woes but acknowledged that almost all of the Lakers' draftees will have to spend some time in the G League to improve.
"Shoot, he's going to have a long career," Johnson said of Bronny. "This is just the beginning. We just keep instilling [confidence], keep that in their heads. So we've got a long way to go."
"But I think all these guys are going to be in the G League at some point -- the draftees."
Bronny has been branded a 'nepo baby' for years, but being the son of The King undoubtedly comes with its own very unique set of challenges.
Being constantly compared to the NBA's all-time leading scorer and one of the greatest basketball players ever, who also happens to be your father, is bound to be a tough situation for any teenager to navigate.
All-Star berths and All-NBA selections may not be in Bronny's future, but he can still have a solid NBA career as a contributing piece to a much larger puzzle.
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With that said, improvements clearly need to be made.
His next Summer League game is against No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher and the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.