December 2, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Bronny James during a game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the Las Vegas Legends Invitational of Basketball at MGM Gardens React. Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown was right after all. Bronny James is certainly not a pro.
At least that's what lip readers on social media thought Brown was saying as he sat courtside during the Los Angeles Lakers' summer league game against the Celtics on Monday.
An X account imitating ESPN SportsCenter posted a video of Brown talking to WNBA guard Kesrae Gondrezic and her former teammate, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, with the caption: “Jalen… Brown said, 'I don't think Bronny is a pro.'”
The video was originally uploaded by NBC Sports Boston, a regional network that broadcasts Celtics games. But apparently, what appeared in Brown's timeline was a SportsCenter spoof post.
Brown responded, saying “Bronny has all the tools to succeed” and that he looks forward to “seeing him grow.”
Not denying the title. No apology. um, yes. Brown must have been caught red-handed.
But he was simply stating the obvious.
james Brown went 1-for-5 from the field and scored two points in the game., Los Angeles lost 88-74. He did bounce back, averaging 12.5 points on 47.6 percent shooting over the next two games before sitting out the Lakers' Summer League finals against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.
In four games in Las Vegas, James averaged 8.8 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 35% from the field and 15.8% from three-point range.
Considering this is summer league, James is average at best, and his shooting is really putting pressure on him.
Still, there are those who truly believe James can be a contributor at the next level as early as this season. In their opinion, the 19-year-old won't have an impact on opening night, but the hope is that he can provide some useful minutes once in a while once the second half begins.
If you find yourself in this group, it might be time for a reality check.
Even the league itself knows there's nothing special about James' talent, and that's reflected in reports from Summer League. The highlights seemed to reach a new low when the NBA decided to release film of James deflecting a pass against Boston. It wasn't until two days later that a highlight reel of James cheering on his teammates from the bench emerged.
When it comes to making James look good, the league only has Las Vegas to tap into. Still, it found a way to thrust the second-round pick into the spotlight, even on nights when he was knocking down 3-pointers.
do you know? That's fine for summer league basketball. Feel free to hype LeBron James' son. But if the league and various media outlets continue to try to keep Bronny James in the news cycle throughout the regular season, basketball will suffer.
Bronny James' career deserves coverage, especially on a night when young James played alongside his old man for the first time. But last names shouldn't blind people to a handful of prospects who are sure to make an immediate impact in 2023-24 — and who should actually turn pro.