Bronny James, son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, is returning to the team with plenty of things to work on in his game.
That much is clear after the two games he played with the Lakers’ G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, in the NBA G League Winter Showcase this past weekend.
James had a rather inconsistent showing. While he tallied 16 points, four rebounds, five assists and three steals in their 98-90 loss to the Greensboro Swarm, he failed to replicate those numbers in the next game.
Against the Osceola Magic, he registered just six points on 3-of-7 shooting from the field in the Lakers’ 120-104 win.
After he was recalled by the Lakers on Sunday, NBA insider Marc Stein reported what he had heard around the league about James’ performance and what he needs to improve. Apparently, the prominent view is that the 20-year-old needs to work on his “point guard play.”
“The unanimous view I heard from watching scouts at the Showcase is that James needs as much time as he can get in the G League to improve all aspects of his point guard play, from his floor game to (especially) his ability to make shots,” Stein wrote on his Substack newsletter.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9).
© Candice Ward-Imagn Images
Bronny James has played a total of seven games so far in the G League, averaging 13.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.3 steals. However, he has struggled with his shooting, particularly from the 3-point line, where he shot 21.2 percent.
It remains to be seen if James will be able to make huge strides in his point guard play and shooting this 2024-25 season. But based on Stein’s reporting, it won’t be a surprise to see the eldest of the James brood get more G League runs.
