Lakers legend Magic Johnson has done a complete 360 of his opinion of Bronny James and his game.
Less than a month ago, Magic appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live and was fairly candid about how he thought the 2024-25 season was going to go for Bronny after he was selected as the 55th overall pick in the draft.
“If I’m Bronny, I would tell my Dad to just let me play in the G-League all season so I can develop,” Johnson said on the talk show.
Then, after Bronny had his best pre-season outing yet against the Warriors in the Lakers’ last game before opening night, Magic took to social to express the exact opposite of his previous sentiment.
“Laker Nation, I have to tell you Bronny James is going to be a really good basketball player! Last night, he showed he has a few things you simply can’t teach — high basketball IQ, athleticism, and a competitive spirit that makes him a tenacious defender! I believe after a lot of hard work this season, he’ll definitely be in the Lakers’ rotation and playing heavy minutes,” Johnson said, while posting a clip of Bronny James’ highlights against the Warriors.
He then sent a follow-up tweet not long after.
“Basketball fans, Bronny James is in good hands with the Lakers, who are great with developing talent,” MJ said. “Two names that I can name recently that I’ve seen firsthand are Alex Caruso and Austin Reaves, who both are starters in the league today. Bronny will be next.”
The performance from Bronny that spurred on Magic’s comments included 17 points, four rebounds, one assist, three steals and one block on 41 percent shooting from the field in 35 minutes.
In games before that, Bronny was struggling to get shots up and his plus-minus was pretty terrible.
His most recent outing shows he can definitely have an impact on the floor, and despite the number 55 pick, can contribute positively to the team.
READ MORE: Josh Giddey Opens Up About Online Hate
