Drafted as the 55th pick of the NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, Bronny James faces scrutiny from those who believe he is not ready for the NBA and was selected solely due to nepotism, given that he is the son of Lakers superstar LeBron James.
This criticism has only gotten worse as Bronny takes the stage in this year’s NBA Summer League. As expected for a No. 55 overall pick, it has not been smooth sailing for Bronny, who is averaging just 5.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists on 29% shooting from the field.
Amidst the criticism, NBA analyst Rachel Nichols has stepped up to defend Bronny. Pinpointing the expectations surrounding the 19-year-old rookie, Nichols believes Bronny is being unfairly judged as if he were a top-10 pick.
“I think that people are looking at him as if he’s a top-10 pick. He’s not a top-10 pick. He is a No. 55 pick. The expectations for a No. 55 pick should be that you’re largely headed to the G-League and may get some games up in the NBA. Last year’s No. 55 pick (Isaiah Wong) played four total minutes in the NBA. He didn’t average four minutes a game in the NBA — four total minutes, and those came in one game.”
Rachel Nichols says the criticism surrounding Bronny James is ‘unfair’
“I think that people are looking at him as if he’s a top-10 pick. He’s not a top-10 pick. He is a No. 55 pick. The expectations for a No. 55 pick should be that you’re largely headed to the G-League and may… pic.twitter.com/AqvStsoaYl
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 17, 2024
