With all the focus on Bronny James‘ summer league play, just when he started to get a groove, the Los Angeles Lakers did not play him in the last contest.
According to The Associated Press, the Lakers held the 55th pick of the NBA Draft on July 20. Bronny scored 25 points on 10 of 21 shooting over his last two games after shooting 7 for 31 from the field and 0 for 15 from 3-point range in the three prior to his offensive flourish. He missed one game due to some trace of swelling in his left knee.
“He had two pretty good games last two,” Lakers Summer League coach Dane Johnson said about Bronny. “I think it’s just going to help him going into the summer so we can work on different things with him
. Just that confidence and knowing he can play at this level. It’s still going to take a lot of time and a lot of reps.”Johnson did give him a small vote of confidence and had an idea of what position(s) Bronny could potentially thrive at.
“I think right now he’s more of a (shooting guard), but I think he could be a combo-ish,” Johnson said. “He picks up stuff really well. We throw stuff at him—plays, coverages, defensively. He kind of picks it up really quick, so I think he could potentially be (a point guard). Maybe we’ll work on that in the summer, but I think right now, being that secondary playmaker is kind of where he’s at right now.”
After being highly recruited in high school,
James went to the University of Southern California. He suffered a cardiac arrest last July. When he returned, the freshman averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. Although some saw those numbers as underwhelming, he chose to enter the draft, where the Lakers grabbed him in the second round.RELATED CONTENT: Bronny James Admits ‘It’s Tough’ Following In Father’s Footsteps