New defender players face critical growth stages

Brownny James, this name has been different from many people since he was born. He is not just James' son, nor is he just the first young player in the NBA to play on the same game with his father. He is a special guard who tries to take his own route from the huge halo, and a young player who plays steadily in the spotlight and doubts.

This is not just a story of inheritance, but also a journey of breaking free, transforming and redefining. For Brownie, his basketball life is gradually transforming from the expectations of others to his own trajectory.

Looking at the long history of NBA, there has never been a father and son in the same game. Until October 22, 2024, the Lakers faced the Timberwolves. An ordinary regular season game was part of the historical record because Brownie stepped into the court. When James was still commanding on the court, Brownie chose to stand up from the bench and fans stood up and applauded. They do not applaud scores, but only for the inheritance of father and son.

Browny's appearance was only three minutes, contributing a rebound, no score or assists. Behind the short time were countless training, external doubts, and long waits. Many people questioned that he was playing through relationships, but more of it was based on the trust choice made by the Lakers coaching team after observation. For Brownie, the night the father and son were on the same stage was not the end, but the first step to prove that he could stand on the NBA stage.

If the first appearance is to ignite the spark of hope, then the rookie Saiqi is a trial. Brownie played a total of 27 games in the 2024-25 season, with an average playing time of only 6.7 minutes per game. The data is not impressive, with only 2.3 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.8 assists.

For a young player who has undergone cardiac surgery and has almost reimbursed throughout the college season, it is rare enough to be able to stand firm on the edge of rotation in a team aiming to compete for the championship.

's most eye-catching moment was when he suddenly broke out against the Bucks, scoring 17 points and 5 assists in the game. His shooting choices are more decisive and his defensive end is active enough, and he even showed his psychological qualities at the last critical moment of the game. After the game, the media began to stop calling him the son of King James, but began to seriously evaluate his value as a young point guard.

Of course, what really made Brownie progress quickly was not the NBA's brief appearance, but the experience in the Development League. At the South Bay Lakers, Brownie was given more ball-right opportunities. He is no longer just a supporting role in catching and defending, but the team's offensive and defensive rhythm is the core of the team's offensive and defensive rhythm.

averaged 21.9 points, 5.5 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game, shooting percentage of 44%, and three-point shooting percentage increased to 38%, which is enough to show that he has the value of an NBA rotation point guard. Rather than saying he found personal data in the Development League, he learned how to dominate the game again. He began to try more pick-and-roll attacks, began to read the opponent's defensive formation and made decisions, slowed down when the offense was blocked, and used conduction to open up the offensive space, rather than just a strong attack.

Referring to the head coach's comments to him, it is quite appropriate:

"He is becoming a mature defender, not just a young player with excellent athleticism."

Entering the 2025 Summer League, Brownie was once again put in the spotlight. He was excellent in his first game against the Heat, scoring 10 points in just 11 minutes of playing. Compared to his debut, he was no longer the player who was retracted in the past, but a ball-holding scorer who dared to actively create offensive opportunities.

was only when his offensive stability issues were exposed again in the second game against the Spurs. He scored only 2 points in the whole game, made 3 turnovers and only 1 assist. The shooting choice was a little hesitant, the passing rhythm was a little chaotic, and there was a lack of remedial options after the breakthrough route was blocked.

Judging from the comparison of these two games, he is still in the process of learning how to output stably. Such fluctuations are quite common among young players, but for a rookie like Brownie who carries enough expectations from the outside world and is focused on by the media, every decline may be magnified, and this is his situation, which many rookies do not need to consider.

Comprehensive observation of Brownie's game content, it is not difficult to find that his biggest advantage at present comes from defense. He has excellent lateral movement speed and defensive footsteps, is good at predicting opponents' offensive routes in advance, and is able to maintain pressure on the ball holder without the ball. He is the kind of top defender, but his presence is enough to put the offensive in a difficult situation.

In addition, his sense of conduction is gradually maturing, knowing how to launch an offense at a high position, read the weak side defense, and find the rotational offensive space. Although these techniques are still a little rough at present, they have made a great progress compared to their college years.

On the offensive end, his breakthrough rhythm is a bit impatient, his air finishing ability is limited, and his mid-range shooting is also fluctuating. He has not yet equipped a stable scoring weapon in the offense. But when he has offensive confidence, his shooting moves are natural and his shooting speed is reasonable. If he can continue to polish, he has the opportunity to become a reliable core point of the ball-holding offense. Overall, Brownie is a defensive point guard who is still in shape. He has gradually gained a mature offensive and defensive awareness and a foundation in the game. All he lacks is time training and game experience accumulation.

Growing up under the halo and pressure of King James' son, Brownie did not show that earth-shaking talent, and her more advantage lies in her calmness and self-discipline. Although he faced challenges, he had no negative news and never complained about his appearance time or role arrangement in public.

Whenever he is asked about his personal performance after the game, he always humbly answers: "I still have a lot to learn" or "I just want to help the team". This may be a bit of a scene in the eyes of some people, but it is also a kind of maturity..

He knew that his every move would be over-interpreted by the outside world, so he chose to minimize his volume and let his personal performance express his opinion. This patience and professional attitude are the most likely traits that many young players in the early days, but are extremely critical. This advantage happened to be his subtle influence by his father's side, and it is also the basis for whether his career will last for a long time.

Looking forward to the new season, Brownie is likely to sign a two-way contract again. His main battlefield will still be the South Bay Lakers, but unlike last year, he can return to the Development League with a clear position this time. He is no longer an observed rookie, but a backup resource with the ability to play. With the Lakers not having enough manpower in the backcourt in the new season, if Brownie can show stable progress in training camp, he will have a chance to enter the official list early and become the team's ninth and tenth-man rotation choice.

Previously, the coaching team has expressed their expectations of improving his three-point stability and breakthrough efficiency on many occasions, which will also become the key to whether he can stand firm in the NBA rotation for a long time. If you can contribute an average of 6-8 points and 2-3 assists next season, while your shooting percentage remains stable, then Brownie will not be just the son of James, but a player who has really begun to rewrite his career.

For Brownie, he will not be the second LeBron James. Such a requirement is too high and it is not suitable for him. After taking his own steps, he began to have the opportunity to become an indispensable role player on the team. He doesn't use data and honor to build legends like James, but his story is still worthy of proving value.

From the historic moments of father and son on the same stage in the first game, to the training days of the Development League, to the ups and downs of the summer league, Brownie's every step was taken realistic enough. And if he can continue to improve like this, we may see a seventh man wearing a Lakers jersey and contributing stable performance in every game in the next five years.

By then, he is no longer just the son of James, he is Brownie, a member of the NBA, and a real professional player.