Bronny James enjoyed his first win as an LA Laker as they saw off the Atlanta Hawks 87-86 in summer league play on Wednesday night.
James scored 12 points, including a clutch 3-pointer late in the contest to tie the score before a defensive stop handed Dane Johnson’s side the win.
The 19-year-old had gone 0-for-15 from three-point range in his first four summer league games and was pleased to have broken his duck.
CLUTCH, BRONNY pic.twitter.com/EuCMaEwrnC
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 18, 2024
“I feel like I know the right way to play,” he said. “So if I go out there and play my game every game, results like that will come.”
Johnson hoped finally sinking a three would give James confidence after a tough start to his LA career, which included a video circulating on social media that appeared to show Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown saying “I don’t think Bronny’s a pro” to WNBA players Kysre Gondrezick and Angel Reese.
Johnson said: “He had those same shots previously, and he just missed them.
“So, we’re going to encourage him to keep taking those. If he’s open and we have an open catch-and-shoot [shot], we want him to shoot those, along with everybody else.
“Open catch-and-shoot 3s is what we’re looking for. Even if you’re not making them, believe in yourself, have confidence in yourself.”
James’ agent Rich Paul appeared on ESPN’s ‘The Pat McAfee Show” last night and defended his slow start.
He said: “I think all these guys are in development. Bronny is no different. He doesn’t get to be excluded from having to develop. Obviously, I know he wants to make shots and he will make shots, but again, it’s just about building great habits. I think the opportunity for Bronny to play at the league level would be on a defensive end, and that’s something that he’s really good at now.
“The other components of the game, he has to get better at and he will. Look, Bronny is a passion player. He’s playing a game of basketball because it’s his passion. And so I don’t look at summer league as the end all be all, whether he was averaging 30 [points] or whether he was averaging three.”
