At the start of this season, Bronny James’ performances were under constant scrutiny, especially as he was visibly struggling with making an impact in the NBA, despite being given minutes to prove himself. During a segment of Gil’s Arena, ex-NBA player Rashad McCants expressed doubt over the youngster’s worth.
“Where’s the entertainment? Give me the jersey sales for the UNC jersey… If you’re talking about entertainment, I need to be entertained,” the former athlete expressed back in November. “I watch everything that’s on the TV; it’s entertainment, where’s the excitement?”
However, LeBron’s eldest son has gradually been improving his game and has shown noticeable growth in recent weeks. His latest great performance was an outstanding 39-point display for the South Bay Lakers in the G-League against the Santa Cruz Warriors.
“Yeah, he deserved it that first week when he sold $50 million worth of jerseys,” Gilbert Arenas said on his podcast, inspired by Bronny’s latest display. “He paid for his father’s contract!”
Not only have sales of Lakers jerseys with the number 9 gone off the roof since the start of the season, but fans are genuinely starting to connect with the young star. By the end of last year, half a million jerseys with “James Jr.” on their back had been sold, breaking the rookie sales record.
“What the (expletive) are we talking about? This is a business too,” Arenas added. “We’re talking about a 55th pick selling $50 million worth of jerseys. He’s good in the Lakers’ eyes. Whatever this kid wants, he’s got. He paid for his father’s contract in a week. It’s about business, man.”
The 20-year-old’s 39-point performance in the G-League also included 7 rebounds, and 4 assists in 38 minutes. However, he’s also been excelling in the NBA, as last Thursday he posted 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists in 30 minutes during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks.