Boston Celtics big man Al Horford’s sister Anna said on X that she feels sympathy for players who are better than Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James but haven’t received the same opportunity that he has.
Bronny James playing with his dad is cool & all, but my heart breaks for the players who didn’t get drafted or who are stuck in the G-League knowing they’re legitimately stronger players than him. https://t.co/92Xg1SPuqr
— Anna Horford (@AnnaHorford) October 31, 2024
James had an unspectacular collegiate career, as he spent just one season at the University of Southern California and averaged 4.8 points per game on 36.6 percent shooting from the field and 26.7 percent shooting from 3-point range across 25 games played.
However, he was drafted in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft by the Lakers, one of the league’s more storied franchises.
While his selection made headlines, he continued to struggle during Summer League and the preseason, raising questions about his ability to compete at the NBA level.
As of now, James has scored two points in the 2024-25 regular season. His first bucket came in Los Angeles’ most recent game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 30. In just over five minutes of action in a game the Lakers lost by more than 20 points, he totaled two points on 1-of-2 shooting from the field while also chipping in two assists and a steal.
James’ next chance to see the court for the Lakers will come when the team plays its third game of a five-game road trip, with this one coming against the Toronto Raptors on Friday night. Los Angeles is still seeking its first win of the road trip, as the Lakers have lost each of their last two games, with those losses coming against the Phoenix Suns as well as the Cavaliers.
After taking on the Raptors, James and the Lakers will wrap up their trip with contests against the Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies. But it seemingly isn’t set in stone that James will play another game for the Lakers between now and the end of their road trip, considering he’s played in just two of the team’s five regular-season contests thus far.
