Bronny James’ G-League debut was fodder for the haters

Most players selected with the No. 55 overall pick in the NBA Draft do not face the scrutiny that Bronny James receives on a nightly basis. That's just the reality for a young man who is the son of arguably the greatest player in NBA history.

Even adjusting for the hype, and trying to temper expectations, it would still be reasonable for the Lakers' passionate fan base to assume Bronny would perform well against G-League competition as a rookie. But his debut effort for the South Bay Lakers did not portend that kind of success for the six-foot-two guard. Instead, his inefficient effort only fueled questions about whether or not he has the talent required to succeed in the NBA.

Bronny James' G-League debut raises even more questions about his future

In fairness to the younger James, one G-League game will not define his career. There is still plenty of time for him to prove he's worth the investment Los Angeles made in him. Still, none of that changes the reality that this is another discouraging data point for the rookie.

South Bay put the ball in James' hands in an effort to get him professional reps as a point guard. He did manage to log four assists, but that total was overshadowed by James turning the ball over five times.

His shooting performance did not do anything to improve his floor game. He was able to get up nine shots, including four three-pointers, but only managed six points. Going 0-for-4 from behind the arc did not do anything to show Lakers' brass that James is ready to come back to Los Angeles to contribute to winning basketball.

It is crucial for James to stay in the G-League and work on his craft if he wants to carve out a role in the NBA anytime soon. Practicing alongside his father and his teammates was useful in the preseason, but the lack of time on the practice court for NBA teams in the regular season is a big reason why Bronny James needs to stay in South Bay for the foreseeable future.

The Lakers will need to see significant improvement in their famous second-round pick if he is going to come back to the NBA anytime this year. Every ugly stat line like this will only lengthen the odds of Bronny James ever being a quality NBA player.