Lakers' Bronny James has been outplaying the No. 1 pick in his draft

Lakers' Bronny James has been outplaying the No. 1 pick in his draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Los Angeles Lakers took plenty of heat when they selected Bronny James with the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Nearly two years later, LeBron James' son may have a brighter NBA future than the top pick in his draft class.

MORE:Atlanta Hawks have a Zaccharie Risacher problem

The Atlanta Hawks' surge to the No.6 seed in the Eastern Conference has largely been accomplished without Zaccharie Risacher, as the former top overall draft pick continues to struggle with his shot.

Risacher's struggles have been particularly pronounced in April. The 21-year-old has averaged just 4.8 points per game and is shooting only 10 percent from 3-point range.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, James' scoring average is up over seven points per game, and he's shooting 43 percent from beyond the arc this month.

James has had valuable development time with the Lakers' G League affiliate in South Bay, and perhaps it is starting to pay off in the NBA.

Granted, his numbers aren't jumping off the page. But he is outperforming the top pick in his draft year, and there's something to be said for that.

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