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Bronny James Matched Michael Jordan In One Wild Rookie Year Stat

Ryan Phillips

Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James started his first career game on April 13, 2025.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James started his first career game on April 13, 2025. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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Bronny James got his first start as an NBA player on Sunday, two days after he matched a mark held by Michael Jordan.

James got the start in the Los Angeles Lakers' final regular season game and will be looking for a three-pointer to surpass Jordan's total from his rookie year. On Friday, James saw action in L.A.'s 140-109 blowout of the Houston Rockets. He hit his ninth three-pointer of the season in that game, matching Jordan's total as a rookie in 1984.

The three-pointer was obviously not as big a part of the game in the mid-80s as it is now. Jordan wasn't a three-pointer shooter early in his career, and in his first four seasons he hit nine, three, 12 and seven. He didn't take a significant number of threes until the 1989-90 season when he went 92-of-245 (37.6%).

Bronny is playing in his 27th game of the season on Sunday and enters the contest 9-of-30 from deep on the year.

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Ryan Phillips
RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.

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