Former South Bay Laker Devonte' Graham believes Bronny James is a legitimate NBA player who is unfairly criticized due to his last name, insisting that his place in the league is fully deserved.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James remains one of the most polarizing young players in the NBA, frequently at the center of debates over whether he is truly NBA-caliber or has benefited from nepotism tied to his famous surname.
Through two seasons, LeBron James' son has appeared in 48 NBA games, averaging 2.0 points and 1.0 assists in 7.0 minutes per contest. In 21 NBA appearances this season, his role has remained limited.
After spending just one season at USC, many critics argued that Bronny was not ready for the NBA and was drafted largely because his father, an NBA legend, plays for the Lakers.
However, his former G League teammate Devonte' Graham sees things differently.
Speaking to BasketNews, Graham – who played alongside Bronny with the South Bay Lakers during the 2024-25 season – strongly defended the young guard from the "overrated" label.
"No, I actually think Bronny is a really good player," Graham told BasketNews. "People just criticize him because of his name."
A six-year NBA veteran himself, Graham believes Bronny has already shown he belongs in the best league in the world.
"Yeah, that's why he's there. He definitely is [an NBA-caliber player]," added the 30-year-old, who is currently playing his first overseas season with Crvena Zvezda.
Credit Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix
With limited opportunities in the NBA rotation, Bronny has spent significant time splitting duties between the Lakers and their G League affiliate.
This season, the 21-year-old is averaging 17.0 points and 5.7 assists per game in the G League.
Last season, he posted 21.9 points on 44.3% shooting from the field and 38.0% from three-point range, along with 5.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.9 steals, and 3.5 turnovers per game.
According to those closely monitoring his development, the former USC guard has made noticeable progress in the 2024-25 G League, showing improved confidence, shooting efficiency, and playmaking.
Still, questions remain about whether he is ready to consistently fill a backup point guard role at the NBA level.
Bronny signed a four-year rookie contract worth approximately $7.9 million with the Lakers in July 2024 after being selected with the 55th overall pick. The deal includes a team option for the final season.
Pijus Sapetka
Pijus Sapetka began his basketball media career in 2021, building on years of closely following the sport. Since then, he has reported from a variety of basketball events, including the EuroLeague Playoffs, Lithuanian Cups, LKL Finals, EuroCup games, the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, and Goran Dragic's Farewell Game. He holds a degree in Journalism & PR.
About author
Thank you for being with us! Subscribe to BN+ and browse ad-free.
If you like our content, please click here and add us as your preferred source. It helps us a lot, and we are committed to delivering you the very latest basketball news.