The Los Angeles Lakers picked up their biggest win of the season with a 134-96 game over the Washington Wizards. The entirety of the fourth quarter boiled down to garbage time minutes, which led to Bronny James getting 12 minutes of action with fans chanting ‘We Want Bronny.’
Bronny didn’t just check in but managed to convert on a layup through contact, going to the free-throw line for the first ‘and-one’ of his career as the crowd went wild.
BRONNY AND-ONE AND THE ARENA ERUPTS!!! 🔥 https://t.co/Jv0bPBtSl1
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) January 31, 2025
You can see LeBron James positively gleaming with joy and being embraced by a teammate after his son’s play.
Bronny ended the game with five points (1-6 FG), two rebounds, two assists, and one steal. His performance led to fans showering him with MVP chants, which isn’t a reflection on how he played but a reflection of how popular he is amongst fans.
MVP chants for Bronny on the road in D.C. 😅 pic.twitter.com/AQNoRvqs7N
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 31, 2025
Bronny has played in 14 NBA games this season, although his season averages are too low to even register.
He hadn’t played double-digit minutes in an NBA game until his disastrous stint against the Philadelphia 76ers which led to him getting sauced by Tyrese Maxey. Many assumed Bronny would be sent back to the G League but was available tonight just in case the short-handed Lakers needed him.
Stephen A. Smith Pleaded With LeBron To Stop Bronny’s NBA Career
Bronny has plenty of paying fans in the stands who often chant to see him check into a game. Unfortunately, just having fans isn’t a marker for success in the NBA. His on-court play is far removed from the level of an average NBA player right now. While he could develop into a better NBA prospect, there’s a long way to go before he can be that.
Stephen A. Smith recently went off on Bronny and LeBron on his show, claiming that LeBron needs to step in and end his son’s NBA career after forcing him into a situation with the Lakers that he isn’t ready for.
“I’m really, really trying to be as respectful as I possibly can be towards LeBron James—one of the top two or three players in the history of basketball that we should and will all miss when he is gone. I am pleading with LeBron James as a father: stop this. Stop this.”
“We all know that Bronny James is in the NBA because of his dad. The first game of the season, opening night, the Griffeys in attendance—father-son duo playing in an NBA game for the first time—an absolutely, positively wonderful story.”
“And then reality sets in. We love what we’re seeing from him in the G League because that’s where he belongs as he hones his skills, gets better, and legitimately earns his place, which I believe he has the potential to do.”
Many were critical of Smith for saying what he did about Bronny, but I struggle to see how it isn’t true. Bronny needs to develop at his own pace, as he has already made massive improvements in the G League compared to where he was at the start of the season. NBA minutes in real-game situations is a hill too tall for him right now.
He’s shooting under 10% from the field for his career, so the gulf in skill he still has to overcome to be a usable NBA player is insane. But moments like tonight against the Wizards will build his confidence on an NBA court and lead to good things in the future.
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