Bronny James is settling in at the NBA Draft Combine.
After a quiet showing during his first scrimmage
Tuesday, the 19-year-old son of NBA star LeBron James stood out as one of the best players on the floor in his second scrimmage Wednesday.
James led his team with 13 points, knocking down his 3-point and midrange shots and making simple reads while bringing energy on the defensive end. The performance represented an encouraging sign for the projected second-round pick, who has been under the spotlight more than ever as the draft approaches.
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Like every other prospect at the combine, James went through anthropometric measurements
, agility and shooting drills and media interviews Monday, followed by the first day of scrimmages Tuesday.
The process continued with scrimmages Wednesday, where the star freshman showed out with his parents, LeBron and Savannah, in attendance to support their eldest son.
How did James play in his second NBA Draft Combine scrimmage? The Sporting News breaks it down below.
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Bronny James NBA Draft Combine stats
Here’s a breakdown of James’ stats in his second scrimmage at the NBA Draft Combine. Wednesday’s performance followed a four-point, four-rebound performance in his first scrimmage Tuesday
.
- 23 minutes
- 13 points
- 2 assists
- 1 rebound
- 2 turnovers
- 4-10 FG
- 2-5 3PT
- 3-4 FT
How did Bronny James play in NBA Draft Combine scrimmage?
James looked much more comfortable from the get-go in his second NBA Draft Combine scrimmage. With LeBron looking on, Bronny was much more assertive on the offensive end while still bringing his typical intensity on defense.
James came off the bench again. But in Wednesday’s scrimmage, he played more of an off-ball role to guard AJ Johnson of Australia’s Illawarra Hawks. James thrived in that secondary creator role, attacking the defense from the wing to knock down a pair of midrange jumpers and get to the free throw line twice.
His aggressiveness was a pleasant surprise for a player who gets too passive at times. But that shouldn’t be confused for forcing offense — James still made the right reads when the defense collapsed on him, dishing out two assists. One of those created a wide-open 3 for his teammate, New Mexico’s JT Toppin.
Bronny James Draft Combine highlights. 🔥
(via @Digits3App)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 15, 2024
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On defense, James pressured ball-handlers and fought around screens on every possession. His effort on that end of the floor is where he believes he can earn minutes in the NBA.
“I just try and come out and play with the most effort. … I play hard and I will always play hard and I feel like that shows up on the defensive end. … That’s what will get me minutes in the long run,” James said in an interview with ESPN after the game.
“I always try to come out and play with the most effort… I play hard and I will always play hard and I feel like that shows up on the defensive end.”
Bronny James on how he can impact the defensive side of the ball 💪 pic.twitter.com/IznjljyPXx
— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) May 15, 2024
One day after going 2-for-8 from the field and 0-for-4 from 3-point range, James found more of a rhythm, with 13 points on 10 field goal attempts and five 3-point attempts.
“I always try to play the right way, but my teammates and my coaches encouraged me to be aggressive today because they believe in me,” James said. “… I’m comfortable playing the one or the two, on-ball or off-ball. They put me in a good position today to produce and be great.”