Bronny James finally debuted in the Summer League, and as the critics took over, the reactions were mostly negative. The rookie Laker then missed the next game because of a swollen knee. It is unfortunate to see him injured right after his first game. The teen is anticipated to return by the 12th when the 2K25 Summer League tips off. Now, LeBron James’ son wasn’t a top prospect from his class, and in reality, he’s a 55th pick with a lot of room for development.

Yes, he did score 4 points, shooting 2 of 9 from the field in 21 minutes, but this was not the regular season. Recently, Rachel Nichols, Skip Bayless, and Keyshawn Johnson reacted to Bronny’s debut and injury on Undisputed. For the most part, they all were supportive of the teen, knowing that he was still young and under development. Rachel, on the other hand, wasn’t so worried about Bronny’s performance in his first game.

“Here’s the thing to remember about Summer League- it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if he takes a game off. They said it was for precautionary reasons and they expect him to play on Wednesday. It doesn’t matter that he didn’t have a good shooting night in his debut. Summer League does not matter…”

“Victor Wembanyama got dunked on in his first Summer League. He shot 2 of 13. Dalton Knecht, the Lakers’ other big, you know, shooter. A guy we expect to be a shooter this year. He went  3 for 12 in his first Summer League game. But the thing to remember about Summer League is, it doesn’t matter.”, said Nichols.

The Summer League is a mere pre-NBA experience for the younger players alongside the pre-season games. This gives the rookies a good enough experience and warmup before they start working with their new teammates. It is interesting to see Bronny James play against professionals for the first time in his career. And while he is suffering from a swollen knee, the injury isn’t alarming.

As for his performance, the best aspect through which he can shut the haters would be defense. Bronny’s on-ball defense is quite decent. He may lack control in a few possessions but is overall a great defensive player. Not only that, but he is also an underrated player in transition.

In fact, Bronny James has spoken about the same aspects of his game before, saying, “Other people see me as a big, kind of a bigger guard, so I feel like I could take that role into guarding someone bigger. I’ve always taken pride in the defensive end, especially because it translates to better offensive looks.” So, these aspects can be considered useful, but the young Laker needs one more thing for sure, to develop.

Bronny James will take time to show up on the big stage!

From a bigger perspective, Bronny James is a late second-rounder. If it were some other prospect, of course, there wouldn’t be many expectations. Getting used to the league’s pace might take a while, but it certainly will be beneficial for the teen and the Lakers. Bronny is a hustler and a quick learner. He’ll have veterans guiding him throughout his rookie year, along with an understanding head coach.

There’s no denying that he brought star potential to his draft class and at the Draft Combine, though, if he continues to learn, he’ll certainly live up to it. If we are to look at his scenario, as a teen who is learning to compete against NBA players and after his life-threatening scare, it can only get better for the youngster.

And yes, there will be deeper aspects to his areas of improvement, but for now, he can look to work on his role as a backup shooting guard. JJ Redick during an earlier was quick to make it clear that LeBron James’ son had “earned this.” While speaking about the holistic development of the 19-year-old, the management clarified that he was going to have the opportunity to grow. It will be interesting to see him this Summer League once he gets back from his injury.

What are your thoughts on Bronny’s debut? Do you think this performance of his plays any role in his future? Let us know in the comments.

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