LOS ANGELES – With the G League regular season winding down, Bronny James took the court for his final home game with the South Bay Lakers. Amid the Los Angeles Lakers’ current road trip, the team assigned James to South Bay.
South Bay had a back-t0-back stretch of home games this week which served as an opportunity for Bronny James to continue getting live reps in the G League. South Bay went 2-0 in that stretch with James dropping a career-best 39 points in the first game, and then finishing with 17 points and nine assists in the second game.
While James certainly had his scoring opportunities in the second game, he was more of a facilitator running the offense as opposed to being more of a scorer. Following the second game, James spoke about being deceptive in that aspect in terms of being able to keep the defense guessing.
“I would say just being aggressive. Looking to score first. I feel like it throws a lot of people off being deceptive,” James said. “I had 39 points yesterday, so they were kind of pressing me up a little bit more this game. I was dishing it out a little more, I had nine assists. So just thinking the game as well as playing as hard as I can, and being aggressive on both ends.”
The point guard position is where James figures to get most of his minutes in the NBA. Playing with South Bay has allowed him to get those reps when it comes to learning how to be lead guard as a pro.
Bronny James’ G League development
James has suited up in 18 total games for South Bay this season during both the Showcase Cup portion of the schedule and the regular season.
He’s averaged 18.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.7 steals with splits of 41.9 percent shooting from the field, 33.6 percent shooting from the three-point line and 76.9 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
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While he’s got most of his on-court reps this season in the G League, James has recently taken advantage of the NBA game opportunities he’s gotten.
But most of that development has come from the G League, and under the tutelage of South Bay head coach Zach Guthrie. Guthrie is in his first season with South Bay after previously serving as an assistant coach with the Washington Wizards.
Following the team’s second win during the back-to-back stretch, Guthrie spoke about what goes in to James becoming a strong lead guard at the pro level.
“It’s about the fundamental things, being able to get the ball up the floor under pressure, being able to deal with full court pressure and then organize the team,” Guthrie said. “It’s about slowing down. . .being able to map the floor in your brain and being able to execute out of that pick and roll or out of that play or action.
“It’s about film study, it’s about development work, it’s about live reads in practice,” Guthrie continued. “It’s a holistic approach to getting better.”
South Bay has two remaining games left in the regular season before James rejoins the Lakers as South Bay will not qualify for the G League playoffs.