How Did Bronny James Look At G League Showcase? Well, Just OK

December 22, 2024

The glass-half-full take on Bronny James’ performance at the G League Winter Showcase this weekend is that it could have been worse, as reported by NBA insider John Hollinger of The Athletic.

But it certainly could have been better.

Assigned by the Los Angeles Lakers to the Winter Showcase in Orlando, James was the marquee name on a weekend that featured nationally televised games, a stage that promised an early glimpse into his professional journey.

Unfortunately for the 20-year-old rookie, the spotlight didn’t shine too brightly.

James showed some flashes — yes, there were moments when you could see the tools that made him a high-profile name in the 2024 NBA Draft. But overall, he had a rough couple of games.

In his first contest Thursday, James posted 16 points and five assists, showing some promise early.

But in his second game, things unraveled. Six points, seven assists, six turnovers, and a minus-13 rating in a game his team won by 16. It wasn’t an outlier — these struggles have been consistent for James in the G League.

While he flashed potential with a 30-point game against the Valley Suns earlier this month, that remains far and away his best performance.

Granted, there have been far worse performances from young, developing players in the G League. But let’s also be honest here: the competition James faced this weekend wasn’t exactly NBA-caliber.

Many of the guys out there will be fighting just to snag a 10-day contract, and yet James didn’t stand out in a way that made you think he was ready for prime time.

That said, Lakers fans, take a deep breath. This isn’t panic time yet — but it’s certainly not time to break out the champagne, either.

Here’s what you can point to as positives: James did show some intriguing moments in pick-and-roll scenarios, especially when he was able to work his way to a right-handed floater after a hard left-hand dribble around screens, Hollinger wrote.

Bronny’s transition play was also impressive, with a couple of well-timed hit-ahead passes and an athletic rebound in traffic on Saturday. You can see the raw athleticism at times, particularly in the air, where he flashed some impressive two-footed leaping ability.

But, and this is a big but, there’s more to the story. James looked uncomfortable handling the ball under pressure — a big red flag for a guard listed at 6-foot-3.

A small guard should be able to handle G League defense with ease, especially in a league full of players with short-term NBA aspirations.

Instead, James struggled to keep control of the dribble and had an embarrassing trio of turnovers in the second half of Saturday’s game.

He got his dribble picked, failed to clear the backcourt in time, and wandered across halfcourt with no real urgency. His ability to play the point guard position seems like a stretch right now.

His issues didn’t stop there. On offense, he couldn’t break defenders off the dribble in isolation situations, and his 3-point shot — which has been a weak spot for most of the G League season — didn’t show signs of improvement.

He made just two of eight from deep in Orlando, and is shooting a woeful 7-of-33 on the season. With a limited ability to create for himself and a shaky jumper, James’ true shooting percentage heading into Saturday was at 45.4%.

If the Lakers envision James as an athletic, high-energy player at the NBA level, he’s got a long way to go.

His motor wasn’t consistently running hot, and that’s concerning for a player expected to contribute on both ends of the floor with urgency. In transition, he looked lackadaisical at times, even when his team was struggling to get back on defense.

Off the ball, there was little movement, as he didn’t seem engaged or active in ways you would expect from a young guard fighting for his NBA future.

Another point of concern: fatigue. It seemed to hit him harder than most.

Early in each of his stints on the court, James showed flashes of solid play, but once he hit the 3-4 minute mark, his mistakes started piling up, Hollinger noted.

Whether it’s the adjustment to professional basketball or something else, his inconsistency after a few minutes on the court was noticeable.

The bottom line? It’s still early for Bronny James, but the expectation was that we’d see more from him by now. Given the current trajectory, don’t be surprised if we’re having this same conversation a year from now.

It’s too soon to make any grand conclusions, but the inconsistencies and growing pains were glaring during this showcase.

And let’s be honest: that’s the reality of being the son of one of the greatest players in NBA history. There’s immense pressure, but there’s also the understanding that even legendary bloodlines don’t guarantee immediate success.

For now, Lakers fans will have to wait and hope the flashes become more frequent — and that those “glitch” moments become fewer and further between.