Bronny James

[audiosway]

Exactly as I said before the draft...Bronny James is not a good basketball player. Not NBA level anyway.

That is all...

[RGP1981]

Exactly as I said before the draft...Bronny James is not a good basketball player. Not NBA level anyway.

That is all...

Elementary, my dear Watson.

[ballsrchr]

I actually feel sorry for Bronny James. True...he hasn't shown the skill necessary to be an NBA player. I just don't think he'll be able to stand up to the pressure of being Lebron's son. The expectations are just too much. Will this "failure" affect the rest of his life?

I expect so...

[dirkfansince1998]

I actually feel sorry for Bronny James.  True...he hasn't shown the skill necessary to be an NBA player.  I just don't think he'll be able to stand up to the pressure of being Lebron's son.  The expectations are just too much.  Will this "failure" affect the rest of his life?

I expect so...

Hard to tell if their approach is increasing his chances to make it in the NBA. I don't think he is as bad as some people make him out to be but he clearly is far away from NBA rotation level. NBA level athlet and solid defender with above average awareness/IQ but absolutely no scoring/shooting ability.

Should have never declared for the draft. Without his dad he is probably a 3-4 year college player that gets the opportunity to steadily improve his game. Develop a three or some kind of skill that makes him more playable on offense.
Now this development needs to happen under constant pressure. NBA media is going to be relentless. His only advantage is that he will get more opportunities than any other player with a similar skillset. Most players with his track record get 1-2 seasons on a g-league or summer league roster and if they don't make the cut it is over. Thanks to his dad Bronnie has four years to prove that he belongs.

[Chicagojk]

I just am not a fan of skipping steps. College isn't what it used to be, but I think at least two more years would have been the best route for him. I like the opportunities the G league has provided and hope it continues to evolve. I am just not sure it is the best place to develop. Everyone scores in the G league. AJ Lawson scores about 20. Brandon Williams scores 25. Look at any pretty good young player and they score at least 15. I am not sure why it is as you would expect players fighting for chances, but the game is wide open and pretty much 3-4 levels up from open run. I don't think it is the best place for guys who are glue guys to develop. Staying in college and slowing growing into bigger roles would have been much better for him. I understand why that did not happen, but I think in the long run it will be a mistake.

[Chicagojk]

Hard to tell if their approach is increasing his chances to make it in the NBA. I don't think he is as bad as some people make him out to be but he clearly is far away from NBA rotation level. NBA level athlet and solid defender with above average awareness/IQ but absolutely no scoring/shooting ability.

Should have never declared for the draft. Without his dad he is probably a 3-4 year college player that gets the opportunity to steadily improve his game. Develop a three or some kind of skill that makes him more playable on offense.
Now this development needs to happen under constant pressure. NBA media is going to be relentless. His only advantage is that he will get more opportunities than any other player with a similar skillset. Most players with his track record get 1-2 seasons on a g-league or summer league roster and if they don't make the cut it is over. Thanks to his dad Bronnie has four years to prove that he belongs.

I agree.  Supposedly he is a great kid and will never be a player who feels entitled to get his own points/shots.   Being 6'2 really limits your chances...especially when you are not a point guard.

The 3-4 year college is right on point.  He should be the guy who as a sophomore averages 11 points a game.  Then Junior or senior he averages 17-18 points and is a well rounded player who maybe needs to play in the G-league but is closer to a finished product as an energy/glue guy.  At this point, he is in no mans land and is going to miss out on those crucial reps that he should have gotten in college.

[ballsrchr]

Hard to tell if their approach is increasing his chances to make it in the NBA. I don't think he is as bad as some people make him out to be but he clearly is far away from NBA rotation level. NBA level athlet and solid defender with above average awareness/IQ but absolutely no scoring/shooting ability.

Should have never declared for the draft. Without his dad he is probably a 3-4 year college player that gets the opportunity to steadily improve his game. Develop a three or some kind of skill that makes him more playable on offense.
Now this development needs to happen under constant pressure. NBA media is going to be relentless. His only advantage is that he will get more opportunities than any other player with a similar skillset. Most players with his track record get 1-2 seasons on a g-league or summer league roster and if they don't make the cut it is over. Thanks to his dad Bronnie has four years to prove that he belongs.

Oh, I don't think he's "bad".  I just think the expectations are going to be too much for him.  Other than that...I completely agree with your well worded analysis.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Exactly as I said before the draft...Satnam Singh is not a good basketball player. Not NBA level anyway.

That is all...

[F Gump]

Everyone knew Bronny was not ready to play in the NBA. He wasn't even a college starter or star.

I suspect perhaps the James family did too. Maybe themselves assessed he would NEVER be good enough, and therefore made a practical choice to get him NBA money for a few years, before he got about his life. NOW was the time they had that max leverage.

If he stayed in school to develop, there's no assurance he will ever be good enough to even play G-League. He was a scrub at college level. By coming out now and with LBJ a free agent and saying all this nonsense about wanting to play with Bronny, the meh son could get 3 years of NBA money. Sure, he could have had his daddy give him a pile of money instead, but LBJ got the Lakers to do it for him. Perks of being a superstar. And if can somehow bounce around the league for 7 more years at the end of someone's bench, trying hard and bringing the famous name, he can end up with a fully-funded pension for later. There might be some bad teams that would entertain the idea. Or maybe LBJ gets LA to keep him on the payroll as a favor, even after he fades out.

Everyone in LA is saying the right thing and being positive about his play. But I don't think they believe a word of it. They aren't that dumb. I doubt LBJ is dumb either - he knows hoops.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Daddy did him a great disservice. IMO Europe is better for player development than college. If my son was a prodigy, we'd be in Europe starting age 15.

[F Gump]

Daddy did him a great disservice.  IMO Europe is better for player development than college.  If my son was a prodigy, we'd be in Europe starting age 15.

Daddy only did him a disservice if he has actual NBA or even pro hoops potential as a player. But if they messed up a path that was going nowhere anyhow, no matter what, then it was a huge favor to him.

That's what I think happened. I think Bronny is JAG (albeit one with a famous name) who has no real NBA potential, no matter what you do.

Just because an athlete wants to play in the NBA - or has a famous name - doesn't mean he will EVER have the ability to play at that level.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Daddy only did him a disservice if he has actual NBA or even pro hoops potential as a player. But if they messed up a path that was going nowhere anyhow, no matter what, then it was a huge favor to him.

That's what I think happened. I think Bronny is JAG (albeit one with a famous name) who has no real NBA potential, no matter what you do.

Just because an athlete wants to play in the NBA - or has a famous name - doesn't mean he will EVER have the ability to play at that level.

So no 19yo player at his level has ever developed into an NBA player either in college or overseas?

[KillerLeft]

Everyone knew Bronny was not ready to play in the NBA. He wasn't even a college starter or star.

I suspect perhaps the James family did too. Maybe themselves assessed he would NEVER be good enough, and therefore made a practical choice to get him NBA money for a few years, before he got about his life. NOW was the time they had that max leverage.

If he stayed in school to develop, there's no assurance he will ever be good enough to even play G-League. He was a scrub at college level. By coming out now and with LBJ a free agent and saying all this nonsense about wanting to play with Bronny, the meh son could get 3 years of NBA money. Sure, he could have had his daddy give him a pile of money instead, but LBJ got the Lakers to do it for him. Perks of being a superstar. And if can somehow bounce around the league for 7 more years at the end of someone's bench, trying hard and bringing the famous name, he can end up with a fully-funded pension for later. There might be some bad teams that would entertain the idea. Or maybe LBJ gets LA to keep him on the payroll as a favor, even after he fades out.

Everyone in LA is saying the right thing and being positive about his play. But I don't think they believe a word of it. They aren't that dumb. I doubt LBJ is dumb either - he knows hoops.

This is how I see it, too, right down to LeBron taking juuuuust enough less on his contract to get Bronny that guaranteed money on his deal. It's not an unheard of contract for a guy drafted in the 50's, but it's probably not a contract the Lakers would've given anyone they drafted with that pick, given the situation they're in with the cap, especially with LeBron's max putting them over the 2nd apron. There was obvious quid pro quo there, and I can't believe people bought the idea that LeBron's magnanimous gesture had anything to do with adding "talent" to the team. Maybe he was open to taking even less to do that, idk, but the cynic in me wonders if misdirection wasn't the true aim of those media leaks, all along. 

And, it's not inconceivable that LeBron can last long enough in the NBA to get his son another guaranteed contract on his way out the door.

[audiosway]

I agree.  Supposedly he is a great kid and will never be a player who feels entitled to get his own points/shots.   Being 6'2 really limits your chances...especially when you are not a point guard.

The 3-4 year college is right on point.  He should be the guy who as a sophomore averages 11 points a game.  Then Junior or senior he averages 17-18 points and is a well rounded player who maybe needs to play in the G-league but is closer to a finished product as an energy/glue guy.  At this point, he is in no mans land and is going to miss out on those crucial reps that he should have gotten in college.

I definitely agree that he should have stayed in college. I posted half jokingly about it. But, in reality I feel bad for the pressure he's under. That's a lot to put on a kid that's not ready for it.

Then again, maybe LeBron knows and is just getting him paid. Who knows with these situations.

It's always irritating to me that I want to like LeBron. He doesn't get into trouble, no drugs, seems like a decent guy, etc. But, he's just so entitled and thinks he's smarter than he is. Just a total turnoff.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

12pts and 13pts the last two games for Bronny

If he was 6'3"-6'4", I would feel pretty confident saying he's going to make it. I still think he might. Obviously depends on how his shot progresses. His measurables are similar to Avery Bradley.

People are putting too much stock into his stats for his one year at USC.. Kid literally had a heart attack before his freshman season.

[audiosway]

12pts and 13pts the last two games for Bronny

If he was 6'3"-6'4", I would feel pretty confident saying he's going to make it.  I still think he might.  Obviously depends on how his shot progresses.  His measurables are similar to Avery Bradley. 

People are putting too much stock into his stats for his one year at USC..  Kid literally had a heart attack before his freshman season.

I do feel bad for him with the heart attack. It definitely stunted him and is a pretty major thing. I think the main thing is that he is just too small and not exceptional enough to make up for that.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Bronny shows good defensive chops though with good hands and staying in front of his man. Maybe that'll be his meal ticket while he improves his offense.