NBA Review: The Bronny James Debacle and More
What’s up, everybody? It’s Brogan LaRose M’28, back here with another NBA review. This review will be slightly different as I will spice some things up. We will cover only two recent storylines from the NBA, including the decline in NBA viewership throughout the season and the Bronny James debacle that occurred last night on TNT. So, let’s get right into it!
NBA viewership on the decline has been a hot topic recently this season, especially regarding the decrease in viewership amongst the National Basketball Association. When the 2024-2025 season started, it was reported that the NBA had seen a 48 percent decline in viewership since a decade ago and a 28 percent decrease in just this season alone. While some fans have been critical of the product since its inception, these numbers shocked avid basketball fans. The NBA has been a fixture in the American spotlight for years, with the many faces of the NBA in past eras building a foundation for the league to help expand and grow it. Legends of the sport, such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and many of the all-time great players, helped jumpstart the NBA into what it is currently. However, the NBA has gotten stale and dull for the average NBA fan to watch. With that in mind, I will break down a few reasons why the NBA viewership is declining.
Disclaimer: I could include the referees’ addition to declining NBA viewership in this article, but I have already covered that in another article.
Load management stands at the top of the decline in viewership. It has become a significant issue in the NBA, with major stars sitting out games due to injury management. While some of these injuries seem minor and some would play through, some players take the night or nights off to rest their bodies. Players like Kawhi Leonard, Zion Williamson, Joel Embiid and Paul George have been more recent examples of this method throughout the last few seasons. This ultimately turns off fans who indeed buy tickets to watch one game the whole season and come to find out their favorite player is not suiting up. Adam Silver is on the pro-player side of this issue, which can lead to even more players sitting out of games moving forward.
Streaming services have also been invaluable to the avid NBA fan. The amount of money it costs and where to watch the games in relation to your location can be a problem when trying to watch NBA games. Moreover, on NBA TV, the same situation occurs. For example, living in New York State, if the New York Knicks are featured on that station on a game night, the streaming service won’t allow you to watch the game. What was supposed to help the league with new technological advances is a genuine concern the NBA needs to look into to fix the declining viewership.
The “3-Point Shot” is where I can see both sides of the issue. Although Steph Curry has changed the game regarding the three-point shot and has succeeded very well with that, some fans have pointed out the volume of three-pointers taken a game as another issue relating to the NBA. My thought process for this issue is if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it along with the opposite. If teams make many threes one night, they should keep going, and vice versa. The Chicago Bulls-Charlotte Hornets game featured a missed total of 75 threes. You don’t want to see this if you’re a basketball fan. This issue has valid points on both sides, and we will have to take time to see how the three-pointer evolves.
The Bronny James Debacle… Holy moly, last night, as a Los Angeles Lakers fan, it was brutal to watch. Thinking the Lakers were serious about winning this year, they would have a smooth night against the Philadelphia 76ers without Joel Embiid and Paul George. Nope! With the Lakers leading 16-7 midway through the first quarter, JJ Redick brought Bronny James into the game. Now, to give him the credit before going in, Bronny has been putting up good numbers in the G-League. Especially with a 31-point performance against the Portland Trail Blazers G-League Team, Bronny has been showing flashes in the G-League. The Key word here is G-League; it was a disaster immediately after Bronny entered the game. Trying to pass the ball to Anthony Davis quickly saw a turnover, which Guerschon Yabusele stole, who then dunked on Davis, forcing Redick to call a timeout. This play alone should’ve highlighted the sequences that were to follow. Bronny looked very uncomfortable on the floor, turning the ball over several times to Philly. He once again was shooting threes that weren’t going in, and even worse in this new NBA where teams switch screens, the Lakers had him guarding none other than All-Star PG Tyrese Maxey. Maxey would torch James virtually every time they matched up with Maxey, knocking down jumpers, creating space and quickly driving to the bucket. This game highlighted the Lakers’ lack of being serious contenders at times, as in some games, they want to coast and expect a positive result. Redick cited after the match that this decision was to provide energy for the team. HOW ARE EARTH CAN YOU DO THAT WITH SOMEONE SHOOTING 6% FROM THE FIELD!! It was infuriating to hear that Redick, the full authority of the rotation, decided to bring in someone who has struggled miserably in the NBA. The G-League is a different story since Bronny can compete and hang in there, but in the NBA, HE IS STILL NOT READY! This has been Brogan LaRose M’28, and that’s all I have today. Be sure to be on the lookout for more NBA-related articles!