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Bronny James catches his breath during a break in his debut with the Lakers on Saturday at the California Classic in San Francisco. (Nic Coury / Associated Press)
On and off the court, Bronny James is encountering a new experience — playing at the NBA level while also being the center of attention.
In his first postgame news conference with the Lakers, the typically low-key James displayed the demeanor many would expect of a 19-year-old still adapting to the spotlight.
With mic in hand, James acknowledged that nervousness was present before tipoff of his debut Saturday.
“Every first game I have at the next level, there’s always butterflies in my stomach,” James said after the Lakers lost 108-94 to the Sacramento Kings. “But as soon as the ball tips off and we go a couple of times down the court, it all goes away and I play basketball.”
James was pleasantly surprised by the love shown for him at Chase Center, especially from the fan base that showered heartfelt cheers every time he touched the court.
“The atmosphere was more than I expected,” James said. “It’s a big game for me and I didn’t know people from Golden State would come and rep for me. That was pretty nice to see.”
Lakers guard Bronny James drives against Kings guard Jordan Ford during the first half of a California Classic game on Saturday in San Francisco. (Nic Coury / Associated Press)
Early in the game, every time he released a shot, the crowd swooned with anticipation of James making his first basket and let out audible gasps whenever he missed.
The crowd exploded when he finally scored on a driving, acrobatic layup in the second quarter.
Before the NBA draft, the scouting report highlighted James’ great energy, defense and instincts for the game — attributes he had sparsely showcased at USC.
For the most part, James contributed Saturday with his energy and defensive skills, finishing with one steal. At times, he was caught flat-footed and off balance, still trying to find his footing at the NBA level.
However, James said he felt more comfortable at this level than in college, where he found the game much faster.
“I feel like I really…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/bronny-james-starts-summer-debut-225029602.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2024-07-06 22:50:29
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