Few second-round picks have faced as much criticism as Bronny James. The Los Angeles Lakers rookie and son of LeBron James has been in the limelight since he was in high school, and the outside noise has only intensified since he reached the NBA.
After just one season with USC at the college level, in which he missed time due to a cardiac event he suffered in the summer before his freshman year, James chose to enter the 2024 NBA Draft. The Lakers used the No. 55 overall pick on James, uniting him with his superstar father and fulfilling his lifelong dream of reaching the NBA.
Since then, the 20-year-old James has split time between the Lakers and their G League affiliate, and he has faced plenty of questions. After averaging just 4.8 points per game in college, James is averaging 1.6 points in limited minutes with the Lakers.
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In an interview with The Athletic, James admitted that he hears and sees what his critics say. He just tries to use it as added motivation while continuing his development.
“My first thought about everything is I always try to just let it go through one ear and out the other, put my head down and come to work and be positive every day,” James said. “But sometimes it just, it fuels me a little bit. I see everything that people are saying, and people think, like, I’m a f—ing robot, like I don’t have any feelings or emotions.”
James said he’s been putting in the work off the court while following Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka’s developmental plan for him.
“But I just take that and use it as fuel for me to go out, wake up every day and get to the gym early, get my extra work in, watch my extra film every day, get better every day,” James said. “That’s what Rob wants me to do as a young guy, coming in, playing in the G League and learning from far on the bench watching the Lakers play.”
In nine games with the G League’s South Bay Lakers, James has been quite productive. He’s averaging 20.6 points and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 36.1% from 3-point range.
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