Bronny James Scores First Summer League Three-Pointer In Lakers Win

Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James scored his first three-pointer in the NBA Summer League Wednesday night, shooting 2-for-5 from beyond the arc for a 12-point night against the Atlanta Hawks. Los Angeles won the game 87-86.

In his first three Summer League games, James has roughly conformed to expectations, proving to be very green while occasionally showing flashes of potential. After a dreadful pair of games, in which he shot 4-for-19 from the field and 0-for-11 from three-point range, he appeared more comfortable and in his career-best performance Wednesday.

“I feel like I know the right way to play,” James said. “So if I go out there and play my game every game, results like that will come.”

James only played in college for one season, and even that experience at USC was marred by a cardiac arrest he suffered shortly before the season in 2023. Joining the Trojans in a delayed debut, he went on to score just 4.8 points per game. The team did not come close to qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.

The Lakers have already confirmed that James, their second-round pick with a four-year, $7.9 million contract, will not play a prominent role on the team during the season. Still, with his father, LeBron James, signing a two-year, $104 million extension with Los Angeles on the same day that Bronny signed, it’s likely that the 19-year-old appears on the floor at some point.

While James finds his way in the Summer League, fellow Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht has been very impressive early on. The first-rounder from Tennessee was not available Wednesday against the Hawks, but he averaged 22 points in his first two games against the Rockets and Celtics. He figures to be a promising option off the bench for Los Angeles when his rookie season formally begins in October.

Article by Patrick Moquin