LeBron James' former teammate likens Bronny James' game to $80,000,000 point guard
LA Lakers rookie Bronny James has been subjected to a lot of scrutiny even before he declared for the NBA Draft. The biggest reason people have been critical of him is because of his father, four-time NBA MVP and champion LeBron James.
Some doubt whether Bronny would actually be in the NBA if not for his dad. However, Iman Shumpert, who was LeBron's teammate with the Cleveland Cavaliers, thinks that Bronny's game is quite similar to an NBA player who landed an $80 million contract.
Shumpert shared in an interview with RG.org that Bronny reminds him of Lonzo Ball.
"People don't give Lonzo Ball enough credit," Shumpert said in his interview. "Even though he's had his ups and downs, he plays a team game. He's able to get other players involved. He's able to make people better and I think Bronny does an excellent job of that."
Lonzo Ball, just like Bronny James, also received a high level of scrutiny after he declared for the NBA draft in 2017. His father LaVar Ball also played a role in this due to how active he was in talking about his son leading up to, and after the draft.
Early in his career, Lonzo had some struggles, especially with his jump shot. Despite that, he still had plenty of upside, especially in his defense, his court vision, and his ability to control the game's pace. That was why the Lakers drafted him No. 2 overall.
However, he has been hampered by injuries throughout his career. He's only played in more than 60 games (63) in one season, which was back in 2019-20. The last time he played was on Jan. 14, 2022 and he hasn't suited up since.
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Bronny James likens his game to some of the NBA's best perimeter defenders
Bronny James has been giving glimpses of his ability during the summer through the Draft Combine and Summer League. During those times, the media also got a chance to speak with him.
In one of these interviews, Bronny was asked which current NBA player he'd compare his game to. Bronny answered by naming three guards who have been defensive stalwarts.
Those three are Jrue Holiday, Davion Mitchell, and Derrick White.
These players might not be names that people think of when thinking about superstars but they are no slouches.
Holiday has been in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation several times and has been named to the All-Defensive First and Second teams three times each. He's also made two All-Star teams and is a two-time champ.
He won his second title last season playing alongside White on the Boston Celtics. White has also been named to the All-Defensive Second team twice. He is yet to become an All-Star or win major accolades but he is an incredible player who affects winning on both sides of the court.
Meanwhile, Davion Mitchell does plays that don't show up on the box score. He can lock down opposing perimeter players on any given night and has the potential to become an elite three-and-D player in the future.
Overall, these three are great comparisons for Bronny James, who has already given glimpses of his remarkable defensive prowess in the limited time he's been with the LA Lakers.