Bronny James is playing in his second summer league right now. There are signs of improvement, with the second-year guard scoring 17 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. Last season, he didn’t get much playing time. If he continues to show improvement, Bronny might see the floor more often this season. Jeff Teague, a former champion with the Milwaukee Bucks, has some advice for Bronny. He believes the young James should model his game after former No. 1 overall pick John Wall.
Former Champion Has a Role Model for Bronny James
Speaking after the game between the Lakers and Clippers, Teague talked about how Bronny has the potential to get some easy buckets.
“I wonder why he doesn’t get downhill like you know, watching your pop so much like just doing that high crossover getting downhill. He is so fast and athletic. He should be having some of the John Wall highlights, like pushing the ball and a man break, because he is fast and athletic. We should see him going full court and a crossover dunk.”
There is no question that Bronny can get easy buckets from steals and dunks in transition. We already saw him do that in the summer league. If we look back at Wall, he made a career on speed and explosive transition plays.
Teague believes it is a confidence thing with Bronny, adding, “I think he is not comfortable. He [is] kind of like second-guessing everything instead of just hooping. Because in high school, he kind of, he’ll fly downhill. He should do that more often.”
There is no question that Bronny has made some improvements to his game. We can see it on the defensive end, which was a previously weak area. Yet, if he wants to separate himself from other prospects, Bronny could use his offensive explosiveness as an advantage.
Is the John Wall Comparison Far-Fetched?
Before we jump on the bandwagon and think LeBron James‘ son can average 15+ points like John Wall, we have to be realistic. Wall was a No. 1 overall pick, while Bronny was picked 55th in the draft.
There are similarities between the two. For starters, both are small guards who are quick and explosive. Wall was a 6’3″ explosive and fast guard, while Bronny is 6’2″. James Jr. has the speed to play on the fast break, but he needs to learn how and when to explode. And of course, he must improve his finishing skills.
Will Bronny Get More Playing Time This Season?
Things are not looking good for the young James. The Lakers have plenty of guards on their roster: Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht, Gabe Vincent, Shake Milton, and Jordan Goodwin. To get on the floor and earn minutes, Bronny will have to play defense first, and then think about the offensive part of the game.
The fun part is that Bronny will likely battle for minutes at training camp with Vincent, a player the Lakers signed to be their three-and-D guy two seasons ago. He is another small guard who made a name for himself by playing great defense. The problem is, Vincent will be in a contract year, and he will likely try to maximize his time. Still a 29-year-old player, Vincent might not find the salary he has right now. He is signed at $11.5 million per year, but his production in recent years has dipped.
When Will Bronny Play Next in the Summer League?
The next game for the Los Angeles Lakers is on Thursday, July 17th. They welcome the Boston Celtics, and Bronny will likely be playing. The game will be televised on ESPN, NBA TV, and ESPN+.
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