Former NBA champion says anyone who criticizes Bronny James ‘doesn’t know basketball’

Much has been made of Bronny James’ status as a rookie with the Lakers. While there have been several detractors of his standing as a prospect in the league, others are higher on his long-term potential.

Among those with a positive outlook on James’ potential is two-time NBA champion and longtime NBA analyst Kenny Smith, whose familiarity with James goes back to his time as a high school prospect in California a few years ago.

In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Smith spoke highly of James and reserved criticism for the 20-year-old’s detractors.

Here’s more on what the retired 10-year NBA veteran had to say.

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What did Kenny Smith say about Bronny James?Smith had a pretty bold statement regarding those questioning James’ standing as an NBA player.

“I just feel like anyone who criticizes Bronny just doesn’t know basketball,” Smith said of the Lakers’ 55th overall pick.

“He was a McDonald’s All-American, which means he’s one of the top-20 prospects in basketball at his age. He was a second-round pick. What a second-round pick means, ladies and gentlemen, is it means you’re drafted strictly on potential. Your year is not your first year – it’s the summer after your first year. That’s why they draft most second-round picks.”

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In addition to his familiarity with the NBA, Smith is in tune with grassroots basketball across the country. That understanding of both sides gives him a unique viewpoint when it comes to prospects like James.

Before enrolling at USC in 2023, James was viewed as one of the nation’s top prospects in his high school class. His freshman season was derailed by a cardiac arrest suffered during a summer workout ahead of his freshman season.

Despite that setback, James returned to the floor in December of his freshman season and made an impact for USC, though his numbers did not jump off the page and the Trojans did not experience much team success.

Smith’s assertion is grounded in the idea that the Lakers have a long-term plan for James that sees him eventually live up to the potential he showed during his prep years. As evidenced by LA’s guaranteed four-year pledge to the rookie, the franchise sees the same potential.