"Just donating money to the books" - NBA fans perplexed by Bronny James leading ROTY bets on multiple bookmakers
Just a handful of games into his NBA career, Bronny James is currently the most talked-about player in the NBA, for better or worse. He has faced criticism throughout the Summer League due to some poor offensive performances.
After stringing together strong back-to-back performances offensively, fans are placing bets on Bronny to take home the Rookie of the Year Award, as the Lakers guard is currently the leader in wagers.
Multiple fans have joked about the report on X, formerly known as "Twitter":
"People just donating money to the books, huh?" one fan posted.
"Y'all just felt like donating huh," another added.
"If anybody else is placing Bronny rookie of the year bets please DM me immediately. I will give you double the odds the books do," a third fan joked.
Some fans argued against Bronny James' Rookie of the Year case.
"Bronny is overrated," one fan stated.
"Unwarranted. I respect the bit though." another commented.
"i don't think he will win Roty," a third fan added.
It is unclear if Bronny will suit up in the G League in 2024, but the rookie has NBA-ready defensive tools that could help him carve out a role on the Lakers' bench.
Bronny James has found his stride in Summer League
In Thursday night's win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bronny James put together yet another solid offensive performance. Against the Cavaliers, James posted 13 points, three assists and five rebounds in his most complete offensive showing yet.
Over his last two games, Bronny is shooting 47% from the field and 38% from behind the arc, showing some potential as a spot-up guard off the bench for Los Angeles.
The Lakers selected Bronny James with the No. 55 pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, pairing him up with his father in Los Angeles. In his lone season at USC, James appeared in 25 games, averaging 4.8 points, 2.1 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 19.3 minutes per game.
J.J. Redick will lead the squad as their head coach in 2024, the team's fourth head coach since LeBron James has been a Laker.
Los Angeles will look to avenge a second-straight playoff exit at the hands of the Denver Nuggets, with Bronny James looking to establish himself as a contributor off the bench in year one.