Jaylen Brown recently faced backlash for his critical comments about Bronny James, LeBron James’ son, following the latter’s preseason debut with the Los Angeles Lakers in the Las Vegas Summer League.
Brown, an NBA Finals MVP, attended a Celtics-Lakers game and was overheard expressing doubt about Bronny’s potential, suggesting he might end up in the G League rather than play for the Lakers.
Brown’s comments quickly became a topic of conversation across the NBA community. However, it has since come to light that Brown’s performance during his Summer League debut in 2016 with the Celtics was even less impressive than that of Bronny.
In the first three games of his Summer League, Bronny James scored 15 points on 6/26 shooting from the field. In his debut year, Jaylen Brown scored 16 points across three games but only made 5/26 field goal attempts. However, he secured more points from free throws, finishing with 30 points thanks to his 17/24 performance at the line.
The statistics show that while Brown scored slightly more overall, his shooting percentage was no better than James’. Moreover, Brown benefited from more playing time and a prominent role in his team’s offence as the No. 3 draft pick, whereas Bronny was the 55th pick. This factor might explain the difference in their initial performances.
Realizing that his initial criticism was now public and perhaps recalling his rocky start, Brown changed his tone. A day later, he praised the significance of having one’s son in the NBA and acknowledged the potential for Bronny’s success, expressing enthusiasm for his future development. This shift culminated in a message on social media that appeared to be an apologetic nod towards LeBron James, highlighting the potential and support around Bronny.
