Kwame Brown has again stirred controversy by firing pointed barbs at Bronny James, this time in the wake of the Lakers’ preseason loss to the Suns. The former No. 1 pick didn’t hold back on his stream, claiming that high school players are already better than Bronny and questioning both his opportunity volume and performance.
“We got high school players better than Bronny. Absolutely got high school players better than Bronny. Bronny was never the best high school player on his team.”
“He was never the best college player on his team, and he still gets 12 shots in a preseason game where everybody’s auditioning. Where nobody normally passes the ball. Everybody trying to get their shit off because it’s new people out there. It ain’t just you.”
Brown has been among Bronny James’ loudest critics since the young guard arrived in the league.
He has repeatedly suggested Bronny is on the Lakers due to his father, LeBron James, rather than out of merit. Brown has also insinuated that Bronny is “coasting” under the protection of a guaranteed contract, rather than earning his minutes.
To understand the basis for Brown’s critique, one has to look at Bronny’s rookie season and his recent performance. In his first year, Bronny appeared in 27 games, averaging 2.3 points in 6.7 minutes per game, modest numbers that reflect limited opportunity and the challenges of adjusting to the NBA speed and physicality.
Last night, Bronny logged 24 minutes, scoring eight points, grabbing five rebounds, and dishing 2twoassists, though his shooting was poor (1-for-12 overall, 1-for-8 from deep). While the stat line is harsh, it should be contextualized: it was just a preseason game, shot timing was off, and he admitted his legs weren’t as sharp as he wanted.
Brown, however, dismissed those defenses. To him, the volume of shots Bronny receives in a setting meant for auditioning players is unjustified. He argues there are high schoolers already outperforming him, claiming Bronny was never the top player at his level and implying that his shot opportunities come from his surname, not from merit.
Critics of Brown’s stance point out that Bronny James is very early in his professional journey. Many successful NBA players had a limited impact in Year 1. Moreover, preseason games are notorious for poor shooting and experimental lineups. Bronny’s performance, while rough, isn’t definitive proof of his ceiling (or lack thereof).
Bronny’s own attitude suggests resilience. Instead of getting defensive, he’s leaned into the learning process, emphasizing growth, effort, and earning trust. But Brown’s blistering criticism underscores a recurring tension in public perception: the expectation that Bronny must justify his place with every dribble, every contested shot.
At this stage, Bronny James is still proving. Whether he can quiet detractors like Kwame Brown and carve out his own narrative separate from his father’s legacy will be one of the quietly watched storylines of the Lakers’ 2025–26 season.
