Watch: When 9 Y/O Bronny James mesmerized his dad LeBron by dropping buckets at 2014 AAU championships
Former USC player and now lakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James started playing basketball as a child, with his plays being well-documented because he is the eldest son of four-time NBA champion LeBron James. Bronny has shown glimpses of basketball skills inherited from his father from a young age, making LeBron overly excited and mesmerized by his son's moves.
A video from the 2014 AAU Championships shows a nine-year-old Bronny playing for the Miami City Ballers in the 4th Grade Division One National Basketball Championship. In the clip, Bronny makes his first shot - a jumper from near the painted area - and sinks a free throw after being fouled. His crisp passes and amazing moves at that age captivated the four-time NBA MVP.
Watch the video here:
LeBron was also seen chatting with current Arkansas coach John Calipari, who was then calling the shots for the Kentucky Wildcats. In the latter part of the video, Bronny slashed through the shaded area and scored a layup that made LeBron proud. The Miami City Ballers eventually won the national title.
Bronny James scores four points in NBA Summer League debut
Bronny James made his NBA Summer League debut on Saturday against Sacramento. He played almost 22 minutes and finished with four points, on 2-of-9 shooting from the field.
The 19-year-old USC product had two assists, two rebounds and one assist. He made his first basket with 5:51 remaining before halftime. Although the Lakers lost 108-94 to the Kings, Bronny remained optimistic. He said:
“Every first game that I step on the next level there’s always some butterflies in my stomach, but as soon as the ball tips and we go a couple times down it all goes away and I’m just playing basketball. It’s always going to be there, but get through it." [H/T NBA.com]
Bronny will get another opportunity to play on Sunday when the Lakers face the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center. Lakers Summer League coach Dane Johnson looks to deploy the 6-foot-2 guard for a longer period to gain on-court experience leading up to the 2024-25 NBA regular season.
“Hopefully he’ll play all the games, we’ll see how it goes," Johnson said. "We’re going to try to integrate him and get him as many reps as we can. He needs more experience playing." [H/T NBA.com]
Bronny, who signed a four-year deal with the Lakers worth $7.9 million, noted that the exposure he gets from the Summer League helps him improve his playing style and cope with the pace of the NBA.
Will Bronny James bounce back from the four-point production he had against Sacramento? Let us know in the comments section.