The NBA Summer League tipped off on Saturday with the California Classic getting underway in San Francisco, hosted by the Golden State Warriors. The Los Angeles Lakers opened their schedule with a hard-fought loss to the Warriors on Saturday night — a game that didn’t feature second-year guard Bronny James, who is currently on a minutes restriction as he continues to ramp back into game shape.
NBA Reacts to Bronny James’ Massive Steal-and-Dunk in Lakers’ Summer League Game originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The NBA Summer League tipped off on Saturday with the California Classic getting underway in San Francisco, hosted by the Golden State Warriors.
The Los Angeles Lakers opened their schedule with a hard-fought loss to the Warriors on Saturday night — a game that didn’t feature second-year guard Bronny James, who is currently on a minutes restriction as he continues to ramp back into game shape.
But on Sunday, James made his Summer League debut against the Miami Heat — and wasted no time making an impact. Just minutes into the game, he came up with a steal and finished it off with an explosive dunk in transition, showcasing the bounce and athleticism he’s worked hard to improve this offseason.
The NBA quickly reacted to the highlight, posting on social media: "BRONNY JAMES WITH THE HUGE THROWDOWN!"
Check it out:
BRONNY JAMES WITH THE HUGE THROWDOWN 😮💨
— NBA (@NBA) July 6, 2025
MIA-LAL | California Classic on NBA TV pic.twitter.com/D9ctrSHfgn
NBA fans reacted to James' fast start in his 2025 Summer League debut:
"Sierra Canyon Bronny," a fan said.
Another fan posted, "He knows his role and hes trying to perfect it you cant hate on that."
Someone else added, "I know he got bron’s genes and I’ve seen him liftoff before but that was unexpected as hell."
"Na, that was LeBron James," one more fan commented.
James followed up his steal-and-dunk highlight with a smooth three-pointer before being subbed out roughly four minutes into the first quarter. As Summer League action shifts to Las Vegas — where all 30 NBA teams will participate — he’s expected to see increased playing time.
Bronny is anticipated to be a focal point of a Lakers roster this summer, which is loaded with talent, including Dalton Knecht, RJ Davis, DJ Steward, Cole Swider, Trey Jamison, Darius Bazley, and several others.
He’s coming off a rookie campaign filled with highs and lows. While he didn’t see much playing time with the Lakers’ main roster, he found significant success in the G League with the South Bay Lakers, averaging 21.9 points, 5.5 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game.
Related: What Deandre Ayton Once Said About Luka Doncic Is Turning Heads After Lakers Deal
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
