Bronny James emerged as one of the most talked-about narratives heading into the NBA season after being selected by the Los Angeles Lakers. Fans throughout the league were undeniably thrilled at the thought of the rookie playing alongside his father, all-time leading scorer LeBron James, while donning the purple-and-gold uniform.
However, Bronny has had limited opportunities to showcase his talent with the main team this season, as the Lakers opted to send him to their G-League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, for further development. Occasionally, the rookie gets called up to join the older players (including his dad) in the NBA. Last Thursday was one such occasion when he was part of the Los Angeles Lakers squad facing the Portland Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena.
Bronny watched alongside 18,000 fans as LeBron delivered an impressive performance, scoring 38 points and hitting 7-of-10 from three-point range, leading the Lakers to a 114-106 victory at their home arena. Impressively, he also participated for the final two minutes of the game while the team held a comfortable lead.
While it was thrilling to see the younger James get his moment in the NBA, his appearance at the game meant he missed traveling with the South Bay Lakers for their matchup against the Mexico City Capitanes on Saturday. Fans who attended that game certainly felt his absence, as many had come hoping to see him play.
“Most of the tickets sold were to see him,” one fan commented, according to a translation on X.
¡Fan de los Lakers habla sobre la ausencia de Bronny James! 🗣️
“La mayoría de los boletos que se vendieron fueron para verlo a él” 🎙️
South Bay Lakers visita la Ciudad de México para enfrentar a Capitanes sin la presencia del hijo de LeBron James. 🏀👑#Lakers #NBA #Fyp pic.twitter.com/nDg6AHtHXB
— Deportrece (@SomosDeportrece) January 4, 2025
Bronny James is gradually establishing his presence with the South Bay Lakers, currently averaging 13.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists across seven games in the Tip-Off Tournament. In his two regular-season appearances with South Bay, he has produced averages of 19.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists.
As the season progresses toward All-Star Weekend, it will be intriguing to observe how and when the Lakers plan to incorporate Bronny James into their lineup moving forward.
Image Source: Bronny James @ Instagram
