We’re only three games into Bronny James’ freshman campaign and I’ve already witnessed at least 20 overreactions on social media. The son of future NBA Hall of Famer, LeBron James, is currently averaging 5.0 points per game on 33 percent shooting from the field, but he’s still in the process of shaking off the rust that comes with being away from the court for months. As I mentioned in my previous Bronny article, James suffered a cardiac arrest back in July and was unsure if he would take the floor this season for USC after the health scare. Surprisingly, however, James was cleared to return to game action on December 10th and notched four points against Long Beach State in his collegiate debut.
The following week, James netted five points in a lobsided 91-75 loss to Auburn and six points in a much-needed 79-59 victory over Alabama State to end the Trojans’ three-game losing streak. Although he’s clearly still working toward having a bigger impact in Andy Enfield’s offense, internet trolls have already ruled out the possibility of James playing in the NBA in the future. I mean, it’s acceptable to dish out reasonable criticism to a player who’s capable of performing at a higher level, but it doesn’t make sense to declare them a “G-League prospect at best” without giving them ample time to show why they should be receiving attention from NBA scouts. After James’ third game in a USC uniform, Enfield wisely pointed out that James is “a terrific shooter. He just needs to be able to shoot when he gets winded. Tonight, it was nice to see him because he was able to run up and down the court and was able to make a couple of threes when he was somewhat tired… He’s one of our better shooters on the team and he’s also a very smart player with the ball in his hands.” He also added that, “He has to get in game shape and he is on minutes restriction. Bronny’s done a terrific job of just trying to understand what we’re doing as a team, being out for so long, to get his timing back. I thought he played very well tonight.”
In other words, Enfield recruited James in high school and is fully aware of his capabilities on the hardwood. For now, though, USC fans (and fans of college basketball in general) will have to be patient as he attempts to carve out a valuable role for himself on this talented Trojans squad. In addition to being an outstanding on-ball defender who can anticipate an opponent’s go-to dribble move on the perimeter, James is a springy combo guard who loves to analyze defenses before making confident decisions with the rock. I know it can be difficult to wait for players to put it all together in college when they were highly touted recruits coming out of high school, but it’s necessary in order to avoid making irrational statements early on in their careers. If James can stay healthy and continue to make the most of his limited minutes on the floor for the time being, it’ll only be a matter of time before he turns his dedicated naysayers into loyal supporters.
