Bronny James makes NBA Summer League debut – NBC Los Angeles

Outsized headphones on his ears and wearing full Lakers gold as he equipped for his NBA Summer time League debut, rookie Bronny James appeared a lot like his well-known father it brought on some folks at Chase Middle to do a double-take.

Even right down to their acquainted mannerisms, facial expressions and the best way they run and shuffle again on protection. Then, Bronny James took his place within the beginning lineup for Los Angeles and his skilled profession was formally underway Saturday — sporting jersey No. 9, to not be confused along with his dad’s former 6 uniform he sported earlier than switching to 23.

The youthful James wound up 2 for 9 for 4 factors, lacking all three of his 3s, with a pair of assists, two rebounds and a steal in just below 22 minutes of courtroom time — 21:43 to be precise — because the Lakers misplaced 108-94 to the Sacramento Kings.

James missed his preliminary two photographs whereas taking part in almost six minutes in his first run of motion — grabbing a defensive rebound 1 minute, 20 seconds into the sport then lacking a 21-foot leap shot moments later. He got here up quick on a 26-foot 3-point strive 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 courtroom 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 suitable wing with 7:23 remaining, and James argued briefly earlier than the play went to replay evaluate and was overturned. James missed a 3 off the entrance rim from the highest of the arc at 7:04.

Then, eventually, James scored his first NBA factors on a driving layup 5:51 earlier than halftime. He missed a pair of free throws on the 4:43 mark of the third interval in his first journey to the road.

At one level throughout his warmup routine, the 6-foot-2 guard stood with fingers on hips in a resemblant place to one among his father, LeBron. And in the course of the recreation, the son leaned over by the baseline 3-point nook, gripping his knees whereas ready for the offensive possession to start.

LeBron and Bronny James are set to make historical past as the primary father-son duo to play within the NBA concurrently.

Drafted by the Lakers with the fifty fifth total choice within the second spherical out of the College of Southern California, Bronny James began in opposition to the Kings in his much-anticipated debut on the California Basic within the San Francisco area residence to the Golden State Warriors.

He’ll probably get one other probability to play Sunday, when the Lakers face the Warriors once more on the Chase Middle.

If all goes as deliberate, the 19-year-old James and his dad would develop into the primary father-son pair to play within the NBA on the similar time — and on the identical workforce no much less.

Bronny is NBA profession scoring chief LeBron’s oldest son. He survived cardiac arrest final July 24 throughout a casual 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 positive 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 complete life. It’s nothing completely different. It’s extra amplified for positive, however I can get by way of it.”