Bonny James, teammate and 20-year-old son of Los Angeles Lakers-star LeBron, has finally tackled the controversy around his Rookie season.
“My first thought about everything is that I always try to just let it go through one ear and go out the other, put my head down and come to work and to be positive every day,” James said the Athletic in a rare exclusive interview. “But sometimes it feeds me a bit. I see everything people say, and people think, such as, I am a robot, as if I have no feelings or emotions. '
After an unobtrusive single season at USC, Bonny was set up in the second round of the NBA design of 2024 and he had a four-year, fully guaranteed contract that critics found more to do with the pleasure of his father than adding a promising, young guard.
Because he and his father became the first father-son duo in the NBA history to share the court, as they did in the season opener, the 6-foot-3 Bronny mainly played in the G-competition, where he has made up considerable progress and now has an average of 20.6 points and 5.2 assists per game.
But despite his improvements on the field, Bonny is still criticized as a 'Nepo -Baby', whose NBA career was handed over to a dish. And LeBron has also taken criticism about the perception that he has pushed Bronny into the spotlight.
Stephen A. Smith of ESPN publicly commented on Bonny and the position he was placed by his father 'who led to a court confrontation between the Sportpundit and four-time NBA MVP during a Lakers game earlier this month.
Bonny James, teammate and 20-year-old son of Los Angeles Lakers-star LeBron, has finally tackled the controversy around his Rookie season
Bonny James from the South Bay Lakers is interviewed after the game against the Valley Suns
Despite this sound that surrounds his first year of Pro -Bal, Bonny has kept his focus on the field, he told the athletics.
“But I just take that and use it as a fuel for me to go out, wake up every day and asked to go to the gym, get my extra work in it, watch my extra film every day, get better every day,” he said. 'That's what [Lakers general manager] Rob [Pelinka] Want me to do like a young guy, enter the G League and learn to see how the Lakers play from far on the couch. '
The results are noticeable for someone who keeps gay box scores.
Never known as a perimeter sniper at USC or in high school, the 3-point accuracy of Bronny has risen this season to a solid 36.1 percent and he has done 80 percent of his free throw attempts.
He also made up for his reputation for hard work and focus on the defensive side, on average 1.8 steals a game and often defends the upper ball handler of the opponent.
“I definitely think I was improved, not just as a player, but just have a different mindset as a player to go out and play my game and play the game I know how to play,” he said. “I feel really good about it – I see the progress.”
Bonny has also seen more action at NBA level. During a loss of March 14 against Denver, Bonny logged in 16 minutes, made a few impressive plays on the defense and scored five points, albeit missing a few wide open looks.
'It's great that [head coach JJ Redick] Had the level of confidence to recently throw him in a big game in Denver, which is a difficult place to play, and he came into play, made a few defensive plays, made a corner 3, and I think he is proud of the 3-and-D-Type Archetype, “Pelinka told the athletics. “And for him to do it in moments in NBA games, that's great that he even understood that.”
As far as the practices are concerned, Redick told the athletics that Bonny has recently been 'fantastic', adding his biggest improved area has been his 'playmakers'.
“I mean that not only in terms of passing by, but only his ability to play on and out of the ball as a decision-maker-a scorer or a passer-by,” said Redick.
Cameras caught LeBron James with a heated exchange with Stephen A. Smith this month
Bonny now sees himself more confidently than he ever dates from high school.
While he admitted that his time at USC derailed due to the cardiac arrest he suffered before his first -year season, Bronny pointed to his consistent playing time in the G League to explain his improvement.
“I think I would stop a little in high school, just because of how young I was, my experience, things like that,” said Bonny. 'Then came the university, and with the fear that happened, did not really come back with much confidence. … I didn't really give that freedom at university, although I didn't produce the way I wanted.
“But going out and getting repetitions under my belt after that fear, it has been good for my self -confidence.”
And with regard to his teammate and father, Bronny is pleased to announce some developments in that area.
“I can certainly come through him,” said Bonny.
