Bronny James’s NBA Summer season League debut on Saturday for the Los Angeles Lakers was lackluster at finest. Nonetheless, the narrative on social media painted a barely totally different image.
For individuals who did not watch the sport stay and as an alternative adopted the motion by way of updates from the NBA, it might have been simple to consider that James had dominated. When, in reality, he was removed from spectacular, recording 4 factors on 2-of-9 taking pictures with two rebounds and two assists.
Among the many dozen posts made all through Saturday’s contest towards the Sacramento Kings, half concerned James. Likewise, regardless of being outscored by all however one member of the Lakers lineup, starters and bench, clips of each of his discipline targets had been posted by the NBA’s account.
Followers even noticed LeBron James’ response to his son’s first Summer season League basket.
The protection is predictable and appears innocent sufficient on the floor. In spite of everything, the NBA is not going to criticize the King’s son.
However therein lies the double commonplace.
Adonis Arms, a 26-year-old profession G-Leaguer and former Texas Tech star, shined on Saturday, posting a double-double (32 factors, 11 rebounds) in a 108-94 Kings victory. He acquired loads of consideration from the NBA on social media, however his greatest spotlight got here when he crossed up James, who stumbled backward earlier than Arms nailed a 22-footer.
Conveniently, that spotlight was lacking from accounts for the NBA, ESPN and different shops. Had the roles been reversed, every would’ve shared (advert nauseam) replays and clips from a number of angles of the play.
For Bronny, the burden of being the inheritor to one of many biggest gamers in sports activities – not simply the NBA – historical past, is heavy sufficient. However the burden solely grows whenever you add the ever-growing publicity practice behind him and allegations of nepotism, which in the end led to him becoming a member of Dad in L.A. unabated.
Bronny is not with out expertise and it would not be a shock if he went on to have a good professional profession. However earlier than he has even stepped onto knowledgeable ground for his first regular-season sport, it appears the deck is just getting stacked greater and better towards him.
All of the hype on the planet cannot change the truth that the youthful James is not among the many prime tier of NBA prospects. With each spotlight shared and each low-light ignored, it is not pleasure for him that is rising – solely resentment manufactured not directly by the NBA.
