EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — In his G League debut, Bronny James faced a familiar challenge: finding his role on the court, much like his early days with the Los Angeles Lakers.
On Saturday, Bronny started for the South Bay Lakers and managed to score six points during their 110-96 victory over the Salt Lake City Stars. He shared his thoughts post-game: “I haven’t had as much time with the team yet to really figure out my role. So, I’m just going out there, playing my game, and having fun.”
The 20-year-old, son of NBA superstar LeBron James, played 26 minutes and shot 2 for 9 from the field, missing all four of his three-point attempts. In addition to his scoring, the 6-foot-3 guard recorded three rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block. This game marked a significant moment as it was his most extensive playtime since the Lakers’ preseason finale against Golden State on October 18, where he played 35 minutes and scored 15 points.
Bronny’s G League journey began with his addition to the South Bay Lakers’ roster on Thursday, following the Lakers’ five-game road trip. His performance drew the attention of many, including his father, who watched from courtside along with LeBron’s wife Savannah and their daughter Zuri. Others in attendance included Bronny’s grandmother Gloria James and Lakers stars Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell, as well as general manager Rob Pelinka.
“He did a fantastic job controlling the ball. He scored the first basket of the game and played selflessly, fitting right into the flow of what we were doing,” said South Bay coach Zach Guthrie. “As a group, our guards defended exceptionally well.”
LeBron and Lakers coach J.J. Redick have both stated that Bronny will spend considerable time in the G League this season to develop his skills. Despite playing in five games for the Lakers, Bronny has only averaged four points over a combined 14 minutes. His recent appearance included him playing the final 1:28 of the Lakers’ 116-106 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
On October 22, LeBron and Bronny made NBA history as the first father-son duo to play together during the Lakers’ season opener against Minnesota, a milestone that heightened the spotlight on Bronny as he transitioned to professional basketball.
Bronny had a promising start to Saturday’s game, scoring a pull-up jumper just 43 seconds in. “I was just focused on getting a bucket. I received the ball, and it just felt right … and I didn’t miss,” he remarked. He also added another basket—a floater in the lane—along with a free throw later in the game, with an experimental rule this season allowing single free throws to count for two or three points depending on the context of the foul during the game.
Late in the first quarter, Bronny displayed his playmaking skills with a clever lob pass to Kylor Kelley for an alley-oop. He also showcased defensive prowess midway through the second quarter when he partially blocked Isaiah Wong’s layup, allowing his teammate Quincy Olivari to grab the rebound, which led to a Maxwell Lewis three-pointer that increased their lead to 40-28.
The South Bay Lakers’ training complex was overflowing with fans for Bronny’s debut, with a seating capacity of 676. “It felt great just to go out and play my game. It was no different from any other game; I was just out there playing basketball,” said Bronny, who was the 55th pick in the 2024 draft. After averaging 4.8 points and 2.8 rebounds in 25 games last season for Southern California, he expressed excitement over the opportunity to get minutes and continue improving.
Salt Lake City coach Steve Wojciechowski acknowledged the unique atmosphere surrounding the game. “Usually, this type of buzz doesn’t happen after a G League game. By now, I’d be done with my second slice of pizza during a postgame interview,” he noted. “This attention is great for the G League, drawing more eyes to our league, which stands out as perhaps the third-best basketball league in the world after the NBA and EuroLeague. Bronny’s story is shining a spotlight not just on South Bay, but on the G League and its players overall.”
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
