Plenty of NBA fans curious to see how Bronny James would perform in his Las Vegas NBA Summer League debut ended up getting a show from another rookie instead.
James scored eight points with four rebounds and two steals in the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 99–80 loss to the Houston Rockets. The rookie guard played 20 minutes, scoring two points in the second half. He shot 3-for-12 from the floor, going 0-for-6 on 3-pointers.
However, those eight points are the highest total James has scored in his three Summer League games. He scored four in his Summer League debut versus the Sacramento Kings and notched three against the Miami Heat, both games played at the California Classic. (James missed the Lakers’ second game in California due to knee swelling.)
Reed Sheppard was the rookie who impressed plenty of spectators. The No. 3 overall pick in June’s NBA Draft led Houston with 23 points, adding four rebounds, five assists and three blocks. He shot 4-for-6 from 3 and 9-for-17 overall from the field.
The Lakers next face the Boston Celtics in Summer League play, tipping off Monday night at 10:30 p.m. ET.