Abhay Singh
Second-generation NBA players, who bring a unique perspective with their experience in the league, share insightful opinions on the potential future performance of Bronny James among professional players.
These players, having walked the path that Bronny aspires to follow, offer valuable perspectives on how he may fare in the competitive world of professional basketball, shedding light on his strengths, weaknesses, and potential areas for growth as he continues to hone his skills and develop his game.
“I’m sure it’s pretty dope to be able to do that.”
Gary Payton II described the situation as “crazy.” The Golden State Warriors guard was protecting Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James when he looked up midway during a preseason game last week in Las Vegas. He was astounded to witness the 20-year-old playing on the same court as his father, who is now a teammate, LeBron James.
“It’s incredible, I’m sure it’s pretty dope to be able to do that.” He said.
Bronny is following in the footsteps of perhaps the greatest player of all time, and very few people can relate to what he is going through. One may be Payton II, a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team and the son of legendary Seattle SuperSonics great Gary Payton.
During Golden State’s two preseason games against Los Angeles, Payton II made sure to approach the younger James before the game to give him some guidance.
Payton remembered saying “I told him to just do it your way and have fun with it,”
Bronny James played one season at USC after being a highly sought-after recruit from Southern California’s Sierra Canyon High School. His promising start to the season was cut short when he suffered a heart arrest during a preseason workout.
James made his debut on December 10 after being given the all-clear to return, but he never really settled in. He continued to play for a Trojans team that missed out on the NCAA Tournament, averaging 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 points per game.
Players with those numbers are rarely selected by an NBA team in the draft, but Bronny was selected by the Lakers in the second round with the 55th overall choice. Critics instantly questioned the decision, accusing it of nepotism. They said that he wouldn’t have been chosen if LeBron James hadn’t been his father.
Payton II went through that feeling of being undeserving as a child. He claimed that because of his father, children would tell him that he would form a basketball team. He was unable to be completely himself until he “embraced it.”
Larry Nance Jr., a big with the Atlanta Hawks, saw similar reactions from teammates and supporters during his high school and college years. He acknowledged that he felt pressure to enter the NBA in order to meet the high expectations set by his father, the 1984 Slam Dunk winner and three-time All-Star.
However, all of that burden vanished as Nance Jr. entered the professional ranks. No one ever spoke.
Nance Jr. said “There’s a lot of guys in the league that have had lineage in the NBA. But there’s way more that didn’t make it, There are no guys in the league that are sitting here going, ‘Oh, you’re only in here because of your names.’ You know better than that. You don’t get here on nepotism. That doesn’t work.”
The son of two-time NBA champion Juwan Howard, guard Jett Howard of the Orlando Magic, concurred.
He said “I feel like you can’t really tell a front office why they drafted a player, Bronny is a great player and has great potential. That’s just my personal opinion, but people are entitled to however they feel. It’s Bronny’s job to prove them wrong.”
Where Bronny fits into the Lakers’ plans remains to be seen
It’s unclear how Bronny will fit into the Lakers’ plans. Under new head coach JJ Redick, Los Angeles is once again viewed as a postseason contender, led by senior players like LeBron and Anthony Davis. As a result, Bronny will have trouble finding the minutes.
He most likely begins the season in the NBA before switching to the G League to continue developing. Being buried on the depth chart won’t help him. This is especially true given that he didn’t even play for USC for the entire season.
In order to get to where he is now, Payton II, an essential component of the Warriors in his eighth NBA season, spent portions of five seasons developing his skills. He claimed that Bronny could see a comparable incident.
He said “I feel like the G League is going to help him tremendously, just like it did me. It got me prepared and ready for the real deal, He has all the tools over there. Once he gets his chance, when he comes back with the team and gets thrown in, he’ll be fine.”
“It’s just a lot of figuring out right now for him to know where his spot is and what it’s going to look like in real speed, in real time. But once he settles in and he gets the flow for things, Bronny is going to have a great basketball career.” He added.
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