Bronny James continues to be something of a polarizing figure, not necessarily because of anything he has done, but because of his circumstances. There are still a considerable number of people who feel his father, LeBron James, pushed him into the NBA after one year at the University of Southern California and that he doesn’t deserve to have a spot on an NBA roster.
Late this season, after Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves got injured, the younger James got meaningful playing time and had some decent games where he contributed in non-garbage time minutes. After the Los Angeles Lakers got swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the playoffs, he was asked by a reporter what he learned about himself.
“That I can play at a higher level,” he said. “That’s what I wanted to prove over the past couple years and I was able to do that this year more than I was last year. It was a good year for me and I felt good about it.”
In the Lakers’ last six regular-season games, the 21-year-old averaged 7.2 points and 1.8 assists in 17.2 minutes a game while shooting 47.2% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point range, and he reached double figures in scoring three times during that span. In particular, his 3-point shooting was arguably the most positive aspect of his game throughout the season, as he shot 38.6% from that distance.
Next season should be a big one for the younger James, as it could determine how much of a future in the NBA he will have on his own merits, especially since it could be the final year in the league for his father.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Bronny James feels he proved he ‘can play at a higher level’ this year
