Going head-to-head against the Sacramento Kings at Chase Center, Bronny’s first bucket in the Lakers uniform came with an athletic drive to the rim. Soon after, he showed off his handles by hitting a smooth behind the back pull-back jumper. Unfortunately, that was not enough to get his first win as the Kings beat the Lakers 108-94. Looking back on his debut performance during the post-game presser, Bronny revealed the difference he felt in Summer League as opposed to his usual college game,

Missing seven of his nine field goal attempts, Bronny was clearly having an off-shooting night. But that didn’t stop him from showcasing his basketball IQ as he made several amazing passes during the game, including multiple hockey assists and two direct ones. Obviously, it will take some time for him to get used to the transition from college to the NBA as it does for most rookies, but Bronny’s debut performance showed a lot of potential. And talking about what surprised him the most, Bronny said, “Maybe the atmosphere. It was more than I expected. I mean, it’s a big game for me, but I didn’t know if people from Golden State would come and rep for me. So that was pretty nice to see.” And once he gets used to the roar of the crowd and the pace of the game, Bronny has the ability to shine in the upcoming Summer League games.

Bronny James gets outshined by two Lakers teammates

While Bronny was still getting used to the spotlight, two of his teammates seemed ready for the big stage. Yes, we are talking about second-year player Colin Castleton and recently acquired rookie Blake Hinson. Going undrafted out of Florida in last year’s draft, Castleton signed a two-way deal with the Lakers right away. Although he played only sixteen games for the main roster in his rookie season, mostly during garbage time, Castleton showcased his true potential playing for the Lakers’ G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. Averaging a double-double with 16.4 points and over ten rebounds in the G League, Colin really impressed the Lakers front office. And he did it again in today’s game against Sacramento as he finished with eleven points and ten rebounds. With that, he also bagged another two-way contract, securing his future with the Lakers.

Meanwhile, Pelinka might have found another hidden gem on Saturday as his undrafted pickup Blake Hinson also balled out in his Summer League debut. Just like Colin, Hinson also earned a two-way deal with the Lakers this summer. But he might soon make the jump to the big leagues as he shot lights out against Sacramento, finishing with a team-high seventeen points on five of seven shooting from deep range. And we all know how much this team needs a sharpshooter. So, it looks like Bronny has some tough competition within his own team to book a spot in the main roster as both Colin and Hinson had a much better performance than him in the Summer League opener.