Lakers’ Bronny James makes G League debut; to play “excitedly”.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Since Bronny James was selected No. 55 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA draft in June, the organization had scheduled the South Bay Lakers’ season to start on Saturday.

While South Bay’s 110-96 victory over the Salt Lake City Stars at the franchise’s practice facility didn’t match the aura of the NBA’s opening night at Crypto.com Arena, the time the 20-year-old guard spends is in Gaining G League reps will likely be more crucial to his development.

James needed just 43 seconds to score his first G League points, hitting a 17-foot jumper across the baseline.

“I just got a bucket,” James said after the game. “It hit me, and I just…yeah. I didn’t miss it.”

He finished the game with 6 points on 2-for-9 shooting (0-for-4 from 3), 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block and 5 turnovers in 31 minutes – roughly matching his performance as a freshman at USC (4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists) and during the Lakers’ preseason (4.2 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.3). assisted).

Lakers two-way guard Quincy Olivari, who led South Bay with 28 points and assisted on Bronny’s first basket, acknowledged the rookie’s performance despite the relatively pedestrian stat line.

“I was just happy to see him out there and show the world that he could play,” Olivari said. “I think I’m a big proponent of saying that he’s a great basketball player and that the criticism he gets is unfair.”

South Bay coach Zach Guthrie, who was hired in the offseason to replace Dane Johnson, called James’ defense a bright spot.

“I think he did a great job dictating the ball,” Guthrie said. “He played great, he played unselfishly, he played with the flow of the game. And I thought, like all of our guards, we defended at a high level. We talked about dictating. They weren’t comfortable with their offense.”

The outsized attention that the fact that he is the son of LeBron James has brought the rookie so far – chants of “We want Bronny!” are already commonplace at the Lakers’ away games this season – followed him to the South Bay. His gold #9 Lakers jersey with “James Jr.” written on the back was the only jersey available in the team shop. And when the South Bay starters were introduced by the announcer, James was the last to be saved – a distinction usually reserved for a team’s star.

Lakers coach JJ Redick, Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ vice president of basketball operations and general manager, and Lakers teammates Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell all sat courtside, joining James’ parents, LeBron and Savannah, and his younger sister Zhuri.

“It’s one of the greatest stories in basketball,” Salt Lake coach Steve Wojciechowski said of Bronny James. “When you see him out there, it’s exciting. It’s exciting for the G League and it brings attention to our league. And we have one of the best leagues in the world. Perhaps the third best league in the world, after the NBA and EuroLeague. And it’s really the future stars of the game that are drawing attention not just to South Bay, but to the league in general and the guys who play in the league.

In the South Bay, the game was sold out – about 700 tickets – after selling out just five times in 24 home games last season.

“I saw all the excitement that came from the G tournament,” James said. “It’s just a great experience for me to go out there, play my game and get a few minutes under control. I’m just looking forward to it.”

James will be with the Lakers on Sunday when they play the Toronto Raptors.

South Bay’s next game is Friday on the road against the Santa Cruz Warriors. Next Sunday they play again in El Segundo against the Stockton Kings.

South Bay President and CEO Joey Buss said James’ future schedule – moving between the Lakers and the G League – isn’t set in stone.

“It’s going to be fluid,” Buss told ESPN. “We will do the best for his development. There’s going to be a lot of things we’re going to do for all the roster players and decisions will be made based on where they are, based on injury status and based on how many.” There are a lot of variables that are unique to Bronny. He’s just in this system.