Former USC Trojans Guard Bronny James Makes G-League Debut With South Bay Lakers

Former USC Trojans guard Bronny James made his G-League debut Saturday night for the South Bay Lakers. James was taken in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. How did James do in his first G-League action?

Bronny James Has 6 Points in G-League Debut

Nov 6, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) shoots during warm ups prior to the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Bronny James had six points, three rebounds, and four assists in the South Bay Lakers 110-96 win over the Salt Lake City Stars. After starting the season in the NBA, James moved down to the Lakers G-League affiliate. He will still be on the Los Angeles Lakers roster as well.

James struggled in his 31 minutes of action for South Bay. He shot 2-for-10 from the floor and 0-for-5 from 3-point land. The more concerning thing from James was his five turnovers. Luckily for Bronny, he will have a long leash playing in the G-League and will be able to really focus on his progression. In his short time in the NBA thus far, Bronny has rarely seen the floor.

Bronny and his father, Lebron James, made NBA history on opening night when the two became the first-ever father-son duo to suit up together in an NBA game.

Can Bronny Develop?

Oct 30, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) shoots over the defense of Cleveland Cavaliers forward Jaylon Tyson (24) during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers selected Bronny James with pick No. 55 in the 2024 NBA draft. This move was seen as a bit controversial because many didn’t view the younger James as an NBA-caliber player yet.

Bronny was one of the most hyped-up players coming into college basketball in 2023. However, his season was partially derailed by a cardiac arrest right before the season. This no doubt affected Bronny’s first and only season at USC. James averaged 4 points a game for USC.

Now the question is, can Bronny develop into an NBA player? That’s why the Lakers have him in South Bay, so he can get consistent minutes and get better. It’s good for Bronny in the long run. Playing with the big league Lakers would put him under a microscope. The Lakers are also in "win-now" mode with the near 40-year-old Lebron and a 31-year-old Davis. There’s no time for them to focus on developing Bronny.

That's what the G-League is for, and Bronny will be able to focus on improving his game there until he's ready.

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