Bronny James has been under intense scrutiny ever since he was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers, as the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and now LeBron James‘ agent calls for the team to leave the 20-year-old in the G League so he can develop without pressure.
Many some question whether he is truly ready for the big leagues and whether his rise is largely due to his famous last name and status as the son of LeBron, who is widely regarded as the best ever basketball player.
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That’s backed up by the youngster’s NBA struggles, failing to make much of an impression against other seasoned pros. So as speculation swirls, Rich Paul weighed in on the young player’s development and calls for the Lakers‘ front office to let him grow away from the glaring eyes of the big leagues.
In the G League absolutely,” Paul told the Gil’s Arena Podcast of where he sees Bronny‘s short term future. “I represent Dejounte Murray.
“[He] played a full season in the G League and was the starting point guard in the Western Conference Finals against the Warriors. That’s development. I embrace the G League.”
Kenyon Martin backs G League shout
Since being drafted, Bronny has split his time between the Lakers’ main roster and the G League, where the disparity in his performance has been evident.
While he has been impressive in the developmental league, his minutes with the Lakers have not yet yielded similar results prompting concerns he’s currently not yet ready.
Martin also emphasized the importance of consistent G League action, drawing upon his own experiences with his own son to advocate there’s no shame in taking a slightly longer path to becoming a starter.
Let him play his uninterrupted G League minutes and when the season is over, bring him up,” Martin told the Gil’s Arena podcast. “Let him go on the road, let him get his bumps out, let him just play through mistakes.
“This is the plan for him because we did the same thing with KJ. It’ll benefit him in the long run. We ain’t saying he’s gonna be his daddy [LeBron]. No!
“But this time is crucial for him because he’s still fragile in basketball period. We’re gonna let him be the 55th pick.”
Bronny‘s time with the South Bay Lakers has already shown significant progress, including a career-high 31-point performance and an average of 22.6 points per game, along with over four assists.
