Rachel Nichols believes Bronny James’ critics are analyzing the Lakers’ second-round decide unjustly.
When discussing the 19-year-old rookie on Wednesday’s installment of FS1’s “Undisputed,” Nichols detailed why the criticism surrounding LeBron James’ son has been “completely unfair,” pointing to his standing because the fifty fifth total decide on this 12 months’s NBA draft.
“I believe persons are taking a look at him as if he’s a top-10 decide. He’s not a top-10 decide, he’s a No. 55 decide,” Nichols mentioned. “The expectations for a No. 55 decide must be that you’re largely headed to the G-League and should get some video games up within the NBA.”
The previous ESPN character then referred to as consideration to final 12 months’s No. 55 decide, Isaiah Wong, “who performed 4 whole minutes within the NBA” for the Pacers.
“He didn’t common 4 minutes a recreation within the NBA, [he played] 4 whole minutes and that got here in a single recreation,” Nichols mentioned of Wong, who briefly appeared in Indiana’s loss to the Lakers within the In-Season Event last.
“To guage Bronny subsequent to top-10 picks versus what different guys at No. 55 have achieved is completely unfair. And clearly it’s going to occur, we’re all watching him extra due to who he’s and the truth that he’s enjoying on the Lakers, don’t neglect that, too, along with being LeBron’s son. However he’s not enjoying at a degree that’s a lot beneath the place different gamers who’ve been in his place and have performed up to now.”
Nichols then pivoted to Alex Sarr, the No. 2 total decide by the Wizards on this 12 months’s draft, who failed to attain in half-hour of enjoying time in an NBA Summer season League recreation earlier this week, earlier than stressing the notion echoed by Lakers coach JJ Redick that Bronny is a “developmental participant.”
“Bronny James is a No. 55 decide. JJ Redick has come out and mentioned he’s a developmental participant, all of us knew this entering into, so to sit down there and criticize him for Summer season League numbers that, as I’ve mentioned a number of instances, stats don’t matter in summer time league. Now we have seen guys have dangerous Summer season Leagues and go on to have good NBA careers,” Nichols mentioned.
“What Bronny must get used to within the Summer season League is the velocity of the sport, he must get used to new coaches and teammates and new schemes and he has to get used to the eye he’s getting, as a result of that is without doubt one of the different issues I noticed sitting courtside at that recreation on Monday night time between the Celtics and the Lakers, each time he touched the ball, the gang perked up. And when he lastly scored within the fourth quarter, there was simply this wave and we’ve seen a few of his different video games, that followers truly criticizing the coach from the stands saying,’ Give Bronny the ball, give Bronny the ball.’ Nobody needs that as a participant.”
Nichols then expressed that Bronny has to “earn the rattling ball, and he is aware of he hasn’t but, which is okay once more. That is who he’s at this level.”
“… You get the impression that it’s been so much, so I believe, for him, the bottom line is getting used to all of that and the stats, to me, will comply with,” she mentioned.
Nichols’ feedback Wednesday got here hours earlier than Bronny’s spectacular Summer season League outing, during which he scored 12 factors within the Lakers’ 87-86 win over the Hawks.
“Simply tried to neglect about all of the pictures I missed, neglect all of the video games we misplaced,” Bronny advised ESPN postgame. “Simply come out and play my recreation and attempt to do my finest each time I come out on the courtroom.”
Previous to Wednesday’s recreation, Bronny — who performed one season at USC earlier than getting into the NBA draft – left the door open to the G-Leauge.
