Former NBA No. 1 draft pick Kwame Brown has shared a bleak outlook on Bronny James’ basketball future, predicting that the young player may struggle to carve out a lasting career.
Bronny James, the eldest son of LeBron James, was selected at No. 55 by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Despite his family’s basketball legacy, Brown isn’t convinced Bronny will make a significant impact on the court.
“I see a guy who’s athletic but needs to learn how to cut and slash more until he’s comfortable with shooting,” Brown said, via HoopsHype.
Brown believes that unless Bronny develops his skills as a point guard, he won’t measure up to other players who have excelled in that position.
“If he doesn’t learn how to play the point guard, I don’t think he’s as strong as David Wesley,” Brown stated.
At Bronny’s height—6’1″ or 6’2″—Brown doesn’t see him thriving at shooting guard unless he evolves his game.
“If he doesn’t learn how to bring the ball up, he’s going to be a poor man’s Juan Dixon,” Brown said.
Dixon, who was Brown’s teammate with the Washington Wizards, played 8 years in the NBA before venturing to play in Europe. His career averages were 8.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 19.5 minutes per game.
According to Brown, Bronny might stick around in the league for a while, but it may be due more to his father’s influence than his own performance.
“I think he’ll bounce around. His daddy has enough power with Klutch Sports to keep him in the league, but after that, if he doesn’t learn how to play point, he’s gonna fizzle out,” Brown added.
Brown also criticized the notion that drafting Bronny at No. 55 didn’t affect other prospects.
He pointed to NC State’s DJ Burns, who went undrafted despite a strong college career, as an example of a player who was overlooked.
“They’re acting like the 55th pick ain’t nothing,” Brown said. “But don’t you think the kid from NC State, who is a proven double-double monster, could have been a project?”
Burns, known for his size and production, was passed over in favor of Bronny, which Brown sees as a missed opportunity for the league.
“What’s his name, the center for NC State? DJ Burns. How can you make a case for Bronny James, a guy that had a heart issue, that hadn’t proven anything, against a guy that went to a good school and put up numbers against everybody?” Brown questioned.
Bronny’s college career at USC received criticism due to his underwhelming stats.
He averaged just 4.8 points per game in 19.3 minutes, ranking as the eighth-leading scorer on his team.
There has been ongoing debate about whether his draft position was justified, with some suggesting nepotism may have played a role in his selection.
In the NBA Summer League, Bronny faced further scrutiny as he averaged 8.8 points per game on 35.0% shooting and just 15.8% from three-point range.
