Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Patrick Beverley sees a bit of himself in Bronny James, noting that Bronny is improving with each game and following a similar path to how he carved out his role in the NBA.
Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Patrick Beverley compared Bronny James' current situation and playing style to his own on the Pat Bev Podcast.
Beverley believes Bronny is performing well and will continue to get more opportunities if he keeps developing his game step by step.
"I think he gets in when the Lakers are up 20 or down 20. He plays well, so they throw him in the next game. I think he's a game-changer," Beverley said.
"I think he can impact winning. He plays well in the minutes he's given. I think this is his coming-out party—just like it was for me," he added, drawing a parallel between Bronny’s journey and his own.
"I was put in the game to play defense. I don’t remember if I was the second or third sub, but I got a layup, hit a three, and in the next game, I started," Beverley recalled.
Beverley sees similarities in their playing styles, noting that Bronny does many of the same things he once did on the court.
"I think our playing styles are pretty similar. At our size, we can harass the ball, play off the ball, shoot spot-up threes, push in transition, and control the pace," he explained.
"Early in my career, my defense got me on the court, and that allowed my offense to show a little bit."
Beverley believes Bronny needs to refine his pick-and-roll play to carve out a solid role in the NBA.
"When I went to the G-League, I averaged 15, 8, and 8. The G-League was extremely easy—just like it is for him."
"In the NBA, he's going to be one of those guys who needs to learn how to run the pick-and-roll, make the right reads, pick up 94 feet, and hit spot-up threes. Anything extra - Smack on the ass," Beverley said.
Bronny James has averaged 2.3 points, 0.6 assists, and 0.6 rebounds in 23 games for the Lakers this season. Recently, he had a breakout performance, scoring 17 points against the Milwaukee Bucks—proving he has the potential to become a solid player in the league.
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