Lakers: Bronny James Scores 30 for South Bay

Los Angeles rookie Bronny James is finding his groove in South Bay.

Dec 6, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) warms up before a game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

After a slow start to his pro career in both the Summer League and NBA, rookie Bronny James — the son of superstar LeBron James — seems to be finding his footing for the South Bay Lakers of the G League.

In just his fourth contest with the team, James scored a team-high 30 points on 57% shooting, adding three rebounds, two assists and a block and steal apiece. He connected on three of his nine triples, with the South Bay Lakers falling by just six points to the Valley Suns.

James passed the eye test, too. He skied for lobs, hit dribble-jumpers in the mid-range, used physicality to get to the ring, and even hit his first few G League 3-pointers of the season. With the fiery Thursday-night performance, James is now averaging 14 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game for South Bay.

Thursday nights game came following a 16-point performance in a win over the San Diego Clippers. Despite some inefficiency, James was impactful, finishing with a +8 plus-minus in the victory.

The solo numbers and performances have been great for James’ confidence as a whole, but they’ve moreso proved that he belongs in the big leagues in general. When  the Lakers drafted him at No. 55, there were a myriad of questions regarding his skill level, and whether he was truly ready for the NBA.

Now, through a handful of G League games, James has proved that he’s, in the least, a project guard for the franchise. He’s played in just seven games for Los Angeles, playing just 2.6 minutes per game and scoring 0.6 points in those.

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