The Los Angeles Lakers endured an inevitable wave of criticism in the aftermath of the 2024 NBA Draft. Despite the widespread praise for the selection of Dalton Knecht in the first round, Los Angeles' decision to add Bronny James at No. 55 overall was nothing short of controversial.
As James prepares for his rookie season, his MVP father, LeBron James, has offered an important reminder about the reality of his son's career trajectory.
Los Angeles is in the midst of a change in philosophy that has directly impacted the identity and structure of the roster. James and Anthony Davis continue to operate as franchise players, but the Lakers are embracing a youth movement—which the younger James is expected to be a part of.
Per Joe Vardon of The Athletic, LeBron James offered a simple reminder to those questioning how ready Bronny James is to contribute every-game value in the NBA: He's only 19.
"I mean, he’s 19 years old, so he has so much room to grow,” LeBron said Friday. “He has so much more to learn, but the best thing, he just keeps his head down and just stays focused...So the best will continue to come as he continues to work and continues to get better and better."
However you feel about the younger James as a potential NBA player, one thing can't be denied: Every conclusion being drawn is about a 19-year-old who hasn't even begun to tap into his potential.
LeBron James with a simple reminder: " is 19 years old."
The younger James was a four-star recruit in high school whose hype was understandably elevated by the fact that he's LeBron James' son. He looked the part of a high-level prospect, however, and was expected to turn heads during his freshman season with the USC Trojans.
Unfortunately, James went into cardiac arrest shortly before the start of his freshman season and subsequently missed months of practice and eight regular season games.
It was all but inevitable that James struggled to find his form at the collegiate level given the circumstances under which he was playing. That's seemingly been taken into account as fans and skeptics alike watch his every move at Summer League.
It's also being weighed in discussions about his potential role with Los Angeles, with the organization expected to have him spend the lion's share of the 2024-25 season with the G League affiliate South Bay Lakers.
James has begun to quiet some of the critics at Summer League, with consecutive high-quality performances. He tallied 12 points in 24 minutes during a July 17 win over the Atlanta Hawks, and followed with 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in a July 18 victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
It's irresponsible to make any firm determinations based on Summer League performances, but it was a strong response to the criticism that he's faced thus far.
As the elder James noted, Summer League is just the beginning of the development process for a 19-year-old rookie. Patience will be crucial as Bronny James and the Lakers determine how he fits in the team's long-term plans—and the four-year contract he signed suggests both sides will be patient.
All eyes will remain on James at every stage of his development based off name value and familial ties, but the Lakers guard is still a 19-year-old incoming rookie who will need time to find his place.