Bronny James, DJ Wagner: Is The Next Generation Of NBA Stars Living Up To The Hype?

Some NCAA stars are only hype. This is what the critics and fans believe when they speak of players like the Kentucky Wildcats’ DJ Wagner and the University of Southern California Trojans’ Bronny James. Both being sons of star NBA players had their share of the spotlight coming into this NCAA season as freshmen. But going by their performances many think that the two are far from achieving their full potential.

A look into their gameplay will give a clear picture of the two.

How has DJ Wagner performed?

Wagner has an impressive 11.9 points per game in the 11 games he has played so far for the Kentucky Wildcats. He has played the role of a supporting player well, providing 3.5 assists per game. Additionally, his shooting skills are also awe-inspiring with 41.7% field goal percentage and 73.1% free throw percentage. He has established himself as a dependable athlete shooting 30.8% three-pointers. 

When taking cognizance of his individual games, his performance of season-high 28 points stood out against the Marshall Thundering Herd. He backed up his stand-out points with an astounding 5 assists in the game. He also had a 10-for-14 field goals and a 6-for-7 free throws in the game. It showed his potential about what he could have done if he were the alpha of the team. But right now he has adjusted well to being the fifth player in the team.

He has the fifth-highest points average for his team and after him the average drops under double digits. His other excellent performance had come against the Saint Joseph’s Hawks when he besotted 22 points with 3 rebounds and 6 assists. He fared exceptionally well in that game with 7-for-17 field goals and a 7-for-8 free throw tally. However, he can improve his performance in terms of three-pointers.

He is also not far behind their guard Reed Sheppard who has an honorable 12.5 points per game. He has been tested by their head coach John Calipari and rotated well.

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If Calipari trusts him with more responsibilities like he did against the North Carolina Tar Heels when Wagner soused 14 points in the 35 minutes he played then the latter might come into his own and seize the opportunity with both hands. And what about Bronny?

How has Bronny James performed?

Bronny made his debut against the Long Beach State in December and has been trying to adjust to the team. Going by his game, he looks more like a connecting player than an alpha. And truth be told both are fairly important for the team. He might have not throttled exceptional points till now but has been the connector in the Trojans’ gameplans. He is a decent passer of the ball and plays selflessly which is very important for the Trojans right now.

When accessing Bronny we will also have to remind ourselves that he has just emerged from a cardiac arrest and was under medical supervision even when he played on the court. He sozzled points in singular digits in the first four games he played but amped up his shots in the latest matchups against the Oregon State Beavers and the California Golden Bears.

While he sloshed a season-high 15 points against the Beavers, Bronny smoked 10 points against the Golden Bears. He also provided 3 assists each in both the games apart from nabbing 2 rebounds against the Golden Bears. Furthermore, the Los Angeles-born had an upright 6-for-11 tally field goals tally against the Beavers. The Trojans have a 7-7 stat and Bronny should complement the core players of the Trojans namely guards – Isaiah Collier and Boogie Ellis. 

The Trojans would be looking forward to building a team right now because not many have gone in their favor this season. Hence, it is the best time for Bronny to utilize and adjust to the team. We have been seeing him coming into his own in the last two games and it won’t be far away when he starts raking up more numbers. Overall, Bronny has an acceptable 7.5 points per game with 2.3 rebounds per match. Though he has played just 16.8 minutes per game, he has shown shades of his true potential. 

Have both the players lived up to the hype?

Both Bronny and DJ Wagner are under the pressure that comes with being star kids. Both of them have been looking to adjust for their team and are playing their respective roles quite well. However, the media would be expecting more out of the two, but according to the role they have played in the team, both have displayed quite a finesse in their games. 

The fans will have to understand that they are not the alphas and have a different gameplay hence they can’t presume the sons of legends to have humongous pointer games. Bronny is also at the developing stages since there has been a lot of hustle and bustle with the Trojans this year and might come into his own as the season progresses.

As for Wagner, the fans are curious to see what role he will assume once he is given more responsibilities. Their current performance might also not have matched the hype they had but the day doesn’t lie far ahead when both of them will get accustomed to their teams and then let loose their balling demon.

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