Bronny James says he will accept any assignment in his first season as a professional as long as it provides him with the opportunity to play and enhance his basketball skills.
“I’m just looking forward to any basketball I play, no matter what level I’m playing at,” James said after the Lakers lost 99-80 to the Houston Rockets in their first game of the Las Vegas Summer League on Friday.
James was questioned about the potential of playing in the G League after Houston’s Cam Whitmore, the 20th selection in the 2023 draft, ended with 20 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals.
Whitmore played 13 games with Houston’s G League club, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, averaging 26.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.1 steals per game.
After scoring six fast points to put Los Angeles up 13-10 halfway through the first quarter against Houston, James struggled on offense the rest of the way, ending with eight points on 3-for-14 shooting (0-for-8 from three) and three turnovers.
With two games under his belt at the California Classic, James has shot 6-for-26 (23.1%) from the field and 0-for-12 (3-point range) in three summer league contests.
“I just feel like I’m in a little slump right now,” he stated.
Dane Johnson, the Lakers’ summer league coach, dismissed James’ early offensive struggles.
“Shoot, he’s going to have a long career,” Johnson said. “This is only the beginning.” We simply keep creating confidence in their brains. So we have a long way to go.
Johnson, who mostly coaches Los Angeles’ G League franchise, the South Bay Lakers, was asked whether James may spend time in the G League next season.
“I don’t know about that yet, so I can’t really comment on that,” Mr. Johnson replied. “But I think all these guys are going to be in the G League at some point — the draftees.”
Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht, selected with the 17th overall choice, shot 9 for 18 from the field (5 for 11 from beyond the arc), pulled down 6 rebounds, and dished out 4 assists in a loss to the Rockets. Knecht led all scorers with 25 points.
James’ endorsement of the G League was a departure from the message conveyed by his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, in the lead-up to the draft. Paul told Jonathan Givony that he notified clubs that his client has no interest in signing a two-way deal with any NBA squad.
“I got the word out early to teams that if you plan on bringing Bronny in, here’s what you need to know: If you won’t give him a real deal, there’s nothing to talk about,” Paul said. “It’s hard to get real development on a two-way deal.”
James continued to play aggressive defense in the Houston game. He had two steals, bringing his total to five in the summer league, and often covered Rockets rookie Reed Sheppard, the third selection in the draft, the full length of the court.
“I’ve known Reed since fifth grade,” James said. “I knew he was a shooter, so I was just trying to get into his body and keep those three-balls from going up. I was attempting to pick him up full court and demonstrate my efforts to the GM and coaches.”
Coach JJ Redick, VP of basketball operations and general manager of the Lakers Rob Pelinka, and assistants Scott Brooks and Nate McMillan were seated courtside. Greg St. Jean, who is in the process of joining Redick’s team, was also there, according to sources.
Sheppard finished with 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting (4-for-6 from three), five assists, and four turnovers.
During the Lakers-Rockets game, Redick spoke with Mark Jones and Doris Burke on how “terrific” James has been thus far. The coach praised the 19-year-old’s defensive performance.
“We want him to pressure the ball,” Redick stated. “I told him yesterday, ‘If you get blown by if you get 10 fouls, that’s on me. I want you to put pressure on the ball.”
How did Bronny do in the Summer League?
Bronny James begins for the Lakers and contributes four points, two rebounds, and two assists in his NBA Summer League debut. Bronny James and Dalton Knecht appear at ease in their first Summer League game for the Lakers at the Cali Classic in San Francisco.
How many points did Bronny James score in his first NBA game?
Bronny James, Los Angeles’ second-round draft choice, was the key reason for the game’s great anticipation. James made his Lakers summer league debut and tried his best to make an impression. James had four points on 2-for-9 shooting in the summer league’s first game, which ended 108-94.
