SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Outsized headphones on his ears and wearing full Lakers gold as he equipped for his NBA Summer season League debut, rookie Bronny James regarded a lot like his well-known father it prompted some folks at Chase Middle to do a double-take.
Even right down to their acquainted mannerisms and facial expressions. Then, Bronny took his place within the beginning lineup for Los Angeles and his skilled profession was formally underway.
James missed his preliminary two pictures whereas taking part in practically six minutes in his first run of motion — grabbing a defensive rebound 1 minute, 20 seconds into the sport then lacking a 21-foot bounce shot moments later. He got here up brief on a 26-foot 3-point attempt on the 4:23 mark of the opening quarter earlier than getting a breather.
James acquired cheers and a heat ovation when he returned to the court docket on the 8:17 mark of the second quarter. He was initially whistled for his first profession foul on a 3-point try by Sacramento’s Xavier Sneed on the best wing with 7:23 remaining, and James argued briefly earlier than the play went to replay evaluation and was overturned. James missed a 3 off the entrance rim from the highest of the arc at 7:04.
Then, ultimately, James scored his first NBA factors on a driving layup 5:51 earlier than halftime.
Shoutout to the rookies 👏 pic.twitter.com/tyVsawofsi
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 6, 2024
At one level throughout his warmup routine, the 6-foot-2 guard stood with palms on hips in a resemblant place to certainly one of his father, LeBron. Drafted by the Lakers with the fifty fifth general choice within the second spherical out of the College of Southern California, Bronny James began in opposition to the Sacramento Kings on Saturday on the California Basic within the San Francisco enviornment dwelling to the Golden State Warriors.
Bronny is NBA profession scoring chief LeBron’s oldest son. He survived cardiac arrest final July 24 throughout an off-the-cuff workforce exercise at USC and it was later decided he had a congenital coronary heart defect. The youthful James signed a four-year contract that may pay him $7.9 million.
“It’s for certain amplified the quantity of stress,” Bronny James stated this previous week when formally launched by the Lakers. “I’ve already seen it in (social) media and on the web and stuff speaking about (how) I won’t deserve a possibility. However I’ve been coping with stuff like this for my entire life. It’s nothing totally different. It’s extra amplified for certain, however I can get by it.”