Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James struggled in his first NBA Summer League appearance. James showed flashes of athleticism and defensive ability, but just couldn't make a shot, which has drawn criticism for the unprecedented attention he receives as a second-round draft pick entering the league.
In a recent post on Twitter, 12-year NBA veteran Nick Young slammed one of the most popular theories about Bronny James, refuting the idea that he's just a “three-and-defense” player. He urged James to stay confident and said he believes his shots will start to fall.
Bronny is not a 3 and D guy. Stop being polite. Bronny can play ball. Just beat them and wash his ass if he's unlucky. Plays with Tyler Perry braids and the confidence of Thanasis. Like I want some motherfucker who says something to me and is like, cut your ass or get burned. Play…
— Nick Young (@NickSwagyPYoung) July 17, 2024
The former NBA guard also urged James to play with an extra level of confidence, with his father being LeBron James, and made his opinion on the topic very clear.
Young played 12 seasons in the NBA, winning a championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2018. Though he only averaged 10.3 minutes per game in the postseason, he appeared in 20 playoff games and 80 regular season games. This was Young's final full season in the NBA, as he was released by the Denver Nuggets the following season after playing just four games and never rejoined the team.
Young, who is very vocal online when it comes to NBA discussions, wants people to know that he disagrees with the idea of Bronny James taking on a specific role. Believing the Lakers guard is more capable than others are saying he is, Young sent a message of encouragement to James after he was selected with the 55th overall pick.
Stolen Brony
Maxwell finishes pic.twitter.com/pPcnOPOjeI— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 11, 2024
Young may be right that James is more than a defensive-minded role player, but being a defensive-minded player is never a bad thing. This is especially true for a player as young as James, because it's hard to develop a bad defender into a high-level defender. With James, he's already shown great defensive ability.
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