The jury is still out on Bronny James‘ NBA potential, but legendary basketball trainer Chris Brickley is certain that the young player has what it takes to maintain a long and successful NBA career. During a recent chat with Bleacher Report, Bronny is on the track to success and is actually much better than he’s been made out to look.
“That showed me he really wants this,” Brickley said. “He wants to improve. I think he’s a lot better than people think. From his ball-handling, to shooting, to athleticism, to IQ, it’s way higher than people give him credit for. I think he’s going to have a long career in the NBA.
Bronny is experiencing what every rookie does: the NBA is going too fast. Until James Jr. gets used to his new surroundings and develops a rhythm for this new speed, he will struggle to keep up on the court. The best that a young player can do is try to play through it and learn along the way.
“What happens to rookies is that the game is sped up constantly,” Brickley said. “It’s tough to be good that way because you’re in panic mode.”
After averaging 4.8 points per game in college, Bronny fell to the late second round, where the Los Angeles Lakers were able to draft him with the 55th pick. His arrival was met with some doubt and resistance from Lakers fans but he’s set to stay after signing a 4-year rookie deal worth $7.9 million.
When it comes to ball handling, playmaking, and court vision, Bronny excels in these areas and it’s how he’s able to make an impact without scoring a lot of points every night. At just 20 years old, James Jr. is mature and disciplined compared to his peers and he’s not afraid to put in the work to get better.
With a lifetime of training under one of the best players ever, it’s a given that Bronny has the intellect and work ethic that every great player needs to succeed. He’s also got a deep support system in place with LeBron, JJ Redick, Rob Pelinka, and Jeanie Buss all in his corner rooting for the best.
So far, however, the Lakers star has yet to have the kind of signature moment we’d expect from an NBA-level athlete. In the Summer League, Bronny’s shooting hit rock bottom and he averaged just 7 points on 32.7% shooting. In the pre-season, his play wasn’t much better. James scored just 8 points combined in the four games, including two where he went scoreless.
As bad as it looks for James Jr., it’s not even close to time to panic. No NBA rookie should be expected to figure things out right away and for someone who’s a 55th pick, expectations should bd relatively low for Bronny.
If nothing else, Bronny has shown in his short NBA stint so far that he’s committed to getting better and doing whatever he can to help the Lakers win games. Even as the son of the King, Bronny knows how to move with humility, and if he has the ultimate winner’s mentality. Those things get you far in the NBA and Bronny is driven to go as far as he possibly can.
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