Following the excitement, Bronny James delivers the ham roll.
The limelight naturally falls on the Lakers, but it's more of a venomous gaze than a celebratory one. While all-star LeBron James now shares the court with his offspring, there are numerous skeptics who question the merit of this situation. Bronny's stats have been subpar to say the least.
Stephen Crowley, a newcomer with minimal legendary lineage, stole the show on numerous occasions, scoring an impressive 35 points. On the contrary, Bronny James struggled to shine, posting poor numbers yet again. Even before the NBA season commenced, there were substantial queries about his competence in the world's top basketball league.
"I'm still learning," Bronny admitted a few days ago: "I'm gaining experience and I think that's crucial. I'm just trying to build my confidence and feel more comfortable out there. I feel good, but the numbers could be better." Unfortunate, as those numbers for any newcomer, regardless of their famous father being part of the Los Angeles Lakers dynasty, would be disappointing.
In five preseason games, the Lakers saw an average of 1.6 points from Bronny in 12.4 minutes, with a shooting percentage of 20%. It was only during Thursday night's 128-122 triumph over the Phoenix Suns that he managed to score four points in 17 minutes, while Crowley outshone him.
NBA coaches second-guess draft choice
If it were up to the doubters, Bronny would have been demoted to the South Bay Lakers' G League team before the NBA season kicked off. Social media users have been taunting him for weeks. It's a common criticism that Bronny would have benefited from an additional year or two in college rather than jumping straight into the draft after a lackluster freshman year at USC due to his pre-existing heart condition.
Experts are in agreement that the expectations placed on Bronny, LeBron himself, and his agent Rich Paul, are far more than his current abilities justify. An anonymous NBA executive told ESPN: "If they truly understood the gap between his talent and the expectations, they would not have taken that route." LeBron has remained silent on the matter, acknowledging that his son is an adult man capable of handling the pressure.
Despite the overwhelming negativity, Bronny has an opportunity to make history when the season begins on Wednesday night (4 AM) against the Minnesota Timberwolves, by becoming the first to play alongside his legendary father in an NBA game. The Lakers selected Bronny in the second round, 55th overall, with no lack of intent.
LeBron's dream of sharing the NBA court with his son has been widely documented. And the advertising potential of this duo was clear during their first joint preseason game just a fortnight ago. However, it's also evident that Bronny will be under intense scrutiny in the public eye if he fails to deliver, as he currently is.
Despite LeBron James' dream of playing alongside his son in the NBA, Bronny's struggles with poor statistics have raised questions. In fact, NBA coaches and executives have second-guessed the Lakers' decision to draft him, suggesting he might have benefited from more time in college. During a preseason game against the Phoenix Suns, Stephen Crowley outshone Bronny, scoring 35 points, while Bronny managed only four points.
