"Shut me up anyway" - NBA analyst backtracks hot take on Bronny James after doubting Lakers' draft plan

Modified Apr 06, 2025 23:31 GMT

NBA: Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Lakers - Source: Imagn — Bronny James (Photo credits: IMAGN)

The LA Lakers drafting Bronny James with the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft became a point of contention, with the team facing accusations of nepotism. Criticism only mounted as LeBron James's son struggled to begin his career.

One person who was critical of the Lakers’ decision to draft Bronny was LA Times sportswriter Bill Plaschke, who wrote a column in June 2024 calling the move "a costly step toward chaos." Now, 10 months later, he’s walking back those words.

In an article published Sunday, Plaschke said he was wrong — drafting Bronny, he wrote, has proven to be a win for the organization.

"I was wrong. I was very wrong," he said. "There have been few things more right about this season than the saga of Bronny James. He hasn’t made an NBA impact, but he hasn’t been a distraction, either."

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"Arguably the league’s most disliked and discounted rookie when the season began, he has won over fans, impressed teammates, inspired his father, and silenced the media. Shut me up anyway"

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Bronny James has been a frequent target of media scrutiny and criticism from some fans. The coverage even led to an unexpected courtside confrontation between his father, LeBron, and outspoken ESPN host Stephen A. Smith.

LeBron, who has rarely engaged in public disputes with the media, confronted Smith on March 6 during the Lakers’ game against the New York Knicks at Crypto.com Arena.

Also read: "He's f**king them up" - Gilbert Arenas hilariously credits Bronny James for shaking up G-League as Lakers rookie

Bronny James has played the same number of games in which he scored and failed to make a basket

Following the Lakers' win over the OKC Thunder on Sunday, Bronny James has now appeared in 24 NBA games.

He entered Sunday’s game at the 2:16 mark of the fourth quarter with the Lakers leading 118-95. He scored a 3-pointer with under a minute left — the final bucket of the game — bringing the score to 126-99. It marked just the 12th game in which he has scored this season.

It was also his seventh game with only one made field goal. The first instance came on Oct. 30 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he finished with two points in his second official NBA appearance.

Bronny recorded a career-high 17 points on March 20, shooting 10-for-17 and converting his only free throw attempt.

Bronny James has shown promise when given the opportunity. In 11 G League games this season, he’s averaged 21.9 points.

About the author

Miguel is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with an overall experience of 7 years. A lover of the sport owing to its mental aspect, he has played it throughout high school and college as a power forward and small forward, and has also coached high school and college basketball teams. These experiences have given him a unique perspective on the game, which translates into insightful content.

For Miguel, the San Antonio Spurs, especially during the Tim Duncan era, were the embodiment of team basketball. He respects Gregg Popovich's empathy toward his players and his understanding of the game. The Spurs' titles, Kobe Bryant's poignant "Dear Basketball" tribute, Derrick Rose's remarkable 50-point game with Minnesota and Magic Johnson's remarkable comeback are among Miguel's top basketball moments.

For his articles, he conducts thorough research, cross verifies information with at least three sources, and sometimes sacrifices speed for accuracy. Content simplification and maintaining a neutral view on topics are his strengths.

Miguel follows other sports, particularly the NFL, and when not working he enjoys hobbies like cooking and playing video games.

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Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro