In a recent podcast, former NBA player Gilbert Arenas weighed in on LeBron James’ son, Brownie James, and offered a striking opinion. Arenas believes Browne has the potential to be one of the top five picks for Rookie of the Year if he gets 36 minutes per game.
Browne fulfilled his dream of playing on the same team as his father when he was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 55th overall pick in last year’s NBA draft. However, for various reasons, he has not been able to get too many appearances in the Lakers this season, most of the time in the Lakers’ G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers.
In the South Bay Lakers, Brownie got more playing time and showed great potential. He appeared in nine regular-season games for the South Bay Lakers, averaging 33.6 minutes per game and posting overall numbers of 20.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.8 steals. This performance has certainly raised expectations for his future.
Meanwhile, in his 18 games with the Lakers, although he averaged only 4.2 minutes per game, he was still able to contribute 1.4 points, 0.4 rebounds and 0.4 assists. If this data is converted into 36 minutes per game, he can average 11.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists, which is enough to prove that he has a certain strength.
Arenas’ comments are an affirmation of Brownie’s potential. As a young player, Brownie still needs more time and opportunities to prove himself, but if he can get enough playing time and consistently show this kind of performance, then he has every chance to be a top-five candidate for rookie of the Year.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Brownie’s future will be smooth sailing. In the competitive NBA arena, he needs to constantly improve his skills and strength, so that he can stand out among many excellent players. Either way, Arenas’ comments offer a new perspective on Brownie’s future.
