Gilbert Arenas Compares Bronny James to Bugatti While Teasing Potential

The former NBA standout opined about the USC Trojans guard’s disposition and upside.

USC guard Bronny James, the elder son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, is no stranger to the bright lights at the tender age of 19. The freshman has faced high expectations for years, and things only have ramped up now that he’s a starter for a major college program. 

On the latest episode of sports commentary regarding the young Trojan, former NBA star Gilbert Arenas offered his opinion on what kind of player he thinks Bronny is and what his potential could be. 

“Bronny … he’s a Jrue Holiday, just more athletic,” Arenas said on Friday’s episode of the Gil’s Arena podcast. “If he turns on his tiger, for sure. He just plays the right way. We don’t know what he really is. He has the Bugatti engine, but he wants to drive the speed limit. He don’t want a ticket. ‘I don’t want a ticket.’ That’s how he uses his body.” 

USC guard Bronny James dribbles against Arizona State guard Frankie Collins at Desert Financial Arena on Saturday :: Patrick Breen/The Arizona Republic/USA TODAY Network

Holiday, a two-time All-Star and an NBA champion who currently plays for the Boston Celtics, is considered to be one of the best defenders of his generation—having been selected to the NBA’s All-Defensive first team on three occasions.

It sounds as if Arenas thinks Bronny has all the athleticism in the world but lacks aggression. So far this season, the younger James is averaging just 5.9 points per game, so Arenas’s assessment might bear some weight.