Surprise Lakers rookie stole Bronny's spotlight in his NBA summer league debut

LeBron James Jr.'s NBA Summer League debut was as pedestrian as one would expect from a much-hyped prospect with a lot to prove thanks to his superstar father. LeBron James Sr., of course, has been pulling the strings behind the scenes to set his son up for success. It's a great story, in theory, but it also applies a lot of pressure to a kid who -- because of his name -- is already dealing with a lot.

Bronny claims he's used to the naysayers, and it shouldn't bother him at the NBA level. He got his first taste of professional basketball on Saturday against the Sacramento Kings. When asked what surprised him the most, James Jr. had a revealing answer.

"The atmosphere," Bronny said. "It was more than I expected. I mean, it's a big game for me, but I didn't know if people from Golden State would come and rep for me. So that was pretty nice to see."

James Jr. finished with four points on 2-of-9 shooting. While Lakers fans probably won't listen to this statement, they ought not to overreact to one summer league game. If Bronny belongs, he will eventually separate himself from the pack.

Lakers rookie Blake Hinson stole the show

While most fans in attendance were there to see Bronny, it was former Pitt sharpshooter Blake Hinson who led the Lakers summer league team in points. Hinson made five three-pointers, and proved he might have a role on an NBA squad after all, even if he has to start in the G-league first.

Hinson can be streaky, but when he's on he's absolutely lethal. Last season, Hinson led the Pitt Panthers in scoring, averaging 18.5 points per game on 45 percent shooting. Hinson's three-point percentages increased every season during his Pitt career, and he shot just a shade over 42 percent from behind the arc in his senior season.

Hinson is a project, and it's unclear how much value he brings to the professional level beyond his shooting prowess. As was the case in Pittsburgh, Hinson must improve his on-ball defending, as well as his ability to create shots off the dribble if he hopes to make it out of the G-league.

Nonetheless, Saturday's game was an impressive start to Hinson's pro career.