Bronny James herd MVP chants as he stepped up to the free-throw line late in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ 134-96blowout win over the Wizards on Friday night.
How serious those chants were, however, remains up for debate.
Were the MVP Chants Real?
The 20-year-old took his free throws with just over five seconds left in the game. Clips from the broadcast quickly went viral, but it was hard to tell whether the chants came from Wizards fans being sarcastic or Lakers supporters who traveled to cheer on their team.
Solid Performance in Extended Minutes
LeBron James’ son finished the night shooting 1-for-6, sinking three free throws, and recording five points, two rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
It marked his second straight game with extended minutes. After playing 15 minutes on Tuesday, he logged 12 minutesin Washington.
LeBron Reacts to His Son’s Progress
LeBron James addressed his son’s growing role with the team.
“Obviously, it’s his first extensive minutes with us,” LeBron said earlier this week. “We had that first game where it was just a moment … but tonight was his first real opportunity to be with the big guys. He’ll continue to grow and improve.”
Lakers Coach Acknowledges Tough Spot
James’ performance on Thursday was a step up from Tuesday, when he went 0-for-5 and had three turnovers.
Lakers coach JJ Redick admitted he might have put Bronny in a difficult situation.
“Maybe I put him in a tough spot,” Redick said. “Flying up yesterday, nationally televised game in Philly … he didn’t play well, but he’s been great in the stay-ready games and in the G League.”
While Bronny James is still finding his footing in the NBA, MVP chants—joking or not—show he’s already making headlines.
