Yardbarker
x
Bronny James turned around nightmare first half for LA Lakers, it showed impressive mental strength
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Bronny James continued his breakout Summer League campaign with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers locked horns with the Boston Celtics in the 2025 NBA Summer League as the tournament inches towards the semifinals.

Despite taking a first-quarter lead, the Lakers ended up suffering an 87-78 defeat at the hands of their longtime rivals.

As expected, a key talking point of the game was the performance of Bronny James, who has seemingly taken a leap ahead of his second year in the NBA.

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Bronny James’ underwhelming start to the game

Being the son of arguably the greatest basketball player of all time in LeBron James, Bronny always receives increased interest from the media.

For what it’s worth, James Jr. hasn’t disappointed in the 2025 NBA Summer League. This includes a stellar defensive performance vs Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks.

Coming back to Bronny’s performance vs the Celtics, the 20-year-old had a nightmare of a first half for the Lakers.

After all, Bronny failed to score even a single point in the first two quarters. To make things worse, James Jr. had six turnovers to his name.

Bronny’s poor performance had a catastrophic impact on the Lakers as they were outscored 19-9 in the second quarter.

Bronny James blocked out the noise and silenced his critics in the second half

If there’s a key factor that differentiates an average prospect from someone who has a high ceiling in the NBA, it’s their mental strength.

Sure, it was just a Summer League game, Bronny showed impressive mental strength after a nightmarish first half.

How? Well, Bronny exploded for 18 points in the second half, finishing the game as the highest scorer in the matchup.

James Jr. also had 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal to his name as he finished the night on a 7-of-13 shooting display while playing 28 minutes.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!