Although Bronny James might not be the heir apparent to his father’s legacy, the newest Laker is getting undeserved hate and criticism just for being selected 55th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Before diving into Bronny James as a player and project for the Lakers to develop, it’s important to understand the value of the pick the Lakers used to draft Bronny.
Here are the last 10 55th overall picks in the NBA draft:
- Isaiah Wong – 2023
- Gui Santos – 2022
- Aaron Wiggins – 2021
- Jay Scrubb – 2020
- Kyle Guy – 2019
- Arnoldas Kulboka – 2018
- Nigel Williams Goss – 2017
- Marcus Paige – 2016
- Cady Lalanne – 2015
- Semaj Christon – 2014
This is likely the first time a majority of NBA fans have ever read those names, and there’s a reason for that. None, or very few, of those players had what it takes to crack an NBA rotation.
There is nothing wrong with that. The NBA is the most competitive and talented basketball league in the world, and only a few hundred of the best of the best ever see meaningful playing time.
Sure, there are some names on there that might be familiar. Aaron Wiggins earned minutes for the Oklahoma City Thunder, including some action in postseason play. The 25-year-old was rewarded for his production with a 5-year $47 million contract this offseason.
Wiggins’ progression since his rookie year should be considered a massive triumph for a player drafted late in the second round, and he’s still just a rotation piece in Mark Daigneault’s system.
While second round picks aren’t expected to come in and take the league by storm, there have been a few great second rounders who have cemented their names in NBA history.
Manu Ginobili, the four-time champion with the San Antonio Spurs, was drafted 57th overall in 1999. Nikola Jokic, the three-time MVP and widely considered the best basketball player in the world at the moment, was selected 41st overall by the Denver Nuggets in 2014.
Ginobili and Jokic weren’t supposed to become what they were and are. They are anomalies who took years to develop into superstars. Anomalies who somehow overcame failure like the majority of those in similar situations.
However, these extraordinary success stories, and perhaps Bronny’s regal surname, have seemed to blind us from the fact that most players in those positions rarely make it in the NBA.
The majority of second round picks are meant to be projects. Players who spend years training and developing in the G-League or overseas with hopes of one day stepping on the hardwood, rocking a jersey with the iconic Jerry West-shaped silhouette sewn on the front.
Why is Bronny James being treated differently than those who came before him? The answer is simple: his father.
Being the son of arguably the best player to ever touch a basketball comes with expectations of its own. Yet, there was a reason Bronny wasn’t selected first overall like his father back in 2003.
At 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, Bronny doesn’t have the size his father has. He is freakishly athletic and a very skilled hooper, but nowhere near as athletic or skilled as dad.
The physical comparisons to LeBron are absurd. Bronny will never be 6-foot-9, 250 pounds and able to go baseline to baseline in a blur. What he did get from his father, and probably the most important trait, is the basketball IQ and instincts.
When Bronny is on the floor, he’s seldom in the wrong position on either side of the court. He has a great feel for the game. He knows where to be when his teammates need an outlet. He knows where to be to give proper help defense while remaining in a position to extend to the perimeter for a contest.
He knows a lot.
Most importantly, he knows what it takes to be great. He grew up during the elongated prime of his father. Whether they discuss it in depth or not, LeBron has demonstrated how to live the life of a successful and dominant athlete over an extended period of time.
That is what the Lakers know they are getting from Bronny. A 19-year-old prospect who has been groomed to be in the league his entire life. He has the skills to compete against those in Summer League and the G-League, but what the rest of those players don’t have is someone who can guide them the way LeBron can guide Bronny.
I’m not saying the mentorship of his father will translate into decades of dominance. I’m saying Bronny’s understanding of what it means to be an NBA player gives him an advantage when it comes to developing as a prospect.
Rather than looking at LeBron as the blueprint for Bronny’s career, look at someone like Alex Caruso.
The two-way star signed with a dysfunctional post-Kobe Lakers franchise after going undrafted in 2016. He spent his early years in the G-League and on the court for Lakers teams that struggled to win games before LeBron touched down at LAX with a dream and a cardigan.
During those years, Caruso put his head down and worked. It took some time but that work, mixed with the mentorship of Laker greats and veteran players, helped Caruso evolve into an elite two-way guard and a Laker fan favorite.
Caruso’s departure from Los Angeles in 2021 hurt the Lakers’ roster construction, and even to this day, they haven’t found a replacement for Caruso in the backcourt.
The Lakers have a history of developing late-round picks and undrafted free agents into quality players. In recent years, the Lakers used second round picks on Ivica Zubac, Talen Horton-Tucker and Max Christie. They signed the aforementioned Caruso and Austin Reaves in free agency after they went undrafted in their respective classes.
They even developed late first round talent like Kyle Kuzma and Larry Nance Jr. into starting caliber players.
If this trend continues under the new regime of JJ Redick — who the Lakers recently hired as the 29th head coach in franchise history — Bronny is in good company.
There’s no reason Bronny can’t carve out a similar career path. Like Caruso, Bronny has a high motor and the humbleness to sacrifice stats in order to make the right play.
Yes, his weaknesses are glaring. Bronny needs to gain some consistency with his shot if he wants to be a threat at the next level. He needs to fine tune his fundamental skill set to truly advance his all-around game. He can sharpen his decision making to cut down on some turnovers and low percentage shot attempts.
Yet, all those weaknesses are attributes that can be corrected and improved. With a basketball savant in Redick joining the franchise, in addition to the diverse veteran talent on the roster, Bronny is sure to get a one-of-a-kind basketball education in the purple and gold.
It’s exciting to see Bronny James play with his old man in the greatest basketball league in the world. It’s truly a unique situation that may not happen again. Regardless of his family history, it’s time to start treating Bronny as his own man and own hooper.
I’m sure Bronny is eager to make his own mark on the game, yet it’s important to remember who Bronny is. He’s probably not going to break LeBron’s scoring record or even come close to some of the things LeBron has done in his 20-year reign. He is his own man. It’s time to start treating him like it.
Brett Abrams 