Bronny James struggles in Las Vegas NBA Summer League debut

Thousands of phones were out within 30 minutes of tipoff, each one fixated on the Los Angeles Lakers’ side of the court.

Every time Bronny James touched the ball, the phones tracked his every movement. Every jump shot. Every dunk in the layup line.

The son of NBA superstar LeBron James was the star at the beginning. Reed Sheppard stole the show by the time the game was over.

Sheppard, the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft, had a team-high 23 points and five assists for the Houston Rockets in a 99-80 win over James and the Lakers in their NBA Summer League opener Friday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

It was a memorable debut for the sharpshooter out of Kentucky. It was a night to forget for the son of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

James, taken 55th overall in the draft out of Southern California, shot 3-for-14 to finish with eight points and five rebounds. The 6-foot-2-inch guard also went 0-for-8 from 3-point range.

“I’m feeling more comfortable every game,” James said. “Just getting better, learning to play with other guys. Just go out there and get better every time.”

Meanwhile, the Lakers’ other draft pick did his part.

Tennessee guard Dalton Knecht had a game-high 25 points — including 5-for-11 from deep — and had six rebounds to go with four assists.

The game started well enough for James.

His first shot, a 3-pointer from the top of the key, hit the front rim. The rebound kicked to James, and he drove to his left and laid it in with his right hand. He capped off a transition play minutes later with a right-handed dunk off a pass from Knecht.

James had six points in the first quarter. That’s where all the good times ended.

Watching film

He never found consistency with his shot and was loose with the ball. James was stripped in the backcourt in the first quarter by Rockets guard Nate Williams, who finished at the rim.

James started the second half with a turnover that led to a Houston basket, then missed an alley-oop on the next possession.

James has averaged five points on 23 percent shooting in three Summer League games, including the Lakers’ outings in the California Classic.

“Just (watching) film and leaning into the things I always do,” James said about how he’s evaluating himself.

On the other end, the Rockets’ newest playmaker dazzled with his handles and long-range shooting.

Sheppard went 9-for-17 from the floor — including a highlight-reel crossover on Knecht in the third quarter that led to a three-point play — and went 4-for-6 from deep to cap off his Summer League debut.

“We won, so that’s a positive,” Sheppard said. “It was good to get out and start competing again and start playing with different guys.”

Right behind him was reigning Summer League MVP Cam Whitmore. The small forward, the 20th pick in the 2023 draft, picked up where he left off last summer with 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and four steals for the Rockets.

Sheppard and James have played against each other every year since the third grade. To now be in a place where they’re playing in an NBA setting, Sheppard said, was a cool experience.

“I’m happy for him,” he said of James. “He’s a great player. It was really fun to go out there and compete and play against him.”

‘He’s a shooter’

James wasn’t surprised at the way his longtime adversary played against him.

“I know he’s a shooter,” he said. “I was just trying to get to his body.”

The Rockets’ athleticism and defense eventually took over. After finishing the first quarter tied at 26, the Rockets outscored the Lakers 54-35 in the second and third quarters.

The Lakers are usually a big draw at Summer League because of their popularity and the games’ proximity to Southern California.

There wasn’t as much purple and gold in the stands as in years past, but they still were heard.

Every time James took a shot, even a miss, they cheered. Every time he touched the ball, in a 19-point loss, they were invested in what he would do.

There’s pressure that comes with being a draft pick of the Lakers. There’s more pressure when that player is the son of LeBron James. Eyes — and cameras — will continue to follow his every move on the court for as long as he plays over the next 10 days.

“Just going out there and play,” James said. “That’s all I can do. Just mentally prepare myself and play.”

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.