Bronny James Shines with Career-High 39 Points in G League

EL SEGUNDO, California — Bronny James, the rookie guard for the South Bay Lakers, showcased his burgeoning talent Monday night by scoring a career-high 39 points in a thrilling 122-118 victory against the Santa Cruz Warriors. This performance comes just four days after he impressed during an NBA game, marking a significant moment in his early professional career.

In the game held at the UCLA Health Training Center, James shot an impressive 14 of 21 from the field, including four of eight from three-point range. Additionally, he contributed four assists, four steals, and one block in 38 minutes of play. Despite some struggles with ball handling, as he recorded seven turnovers—tying his highest in the G League—James’ performance helped secure the win for South Bay.

After the game, his father, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, celebrated his son’s achievement on social media, posting a video clip of Bronny enjoying his standout night. “SMILE THROUGH IT ALL YOUNG [prince]!!!” LeBron tweeted, accompanied by a crown emoji.

Bronny’s recent performances have drawn varying opinions from sports analysts. Just days prior, he played a season-high 30 minutes with the Lakers, delivering 17 points and five assists in a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith remarked that he might have misjudged Bronny’s abilities, acknowledging that he could contribute more than he previously stated.

However, the transition back to a limited role with the Lakers proved difficult for Bronny as he scored only two points while shooting 0-for-4 during a recent loss to the Chicago Bulls. The Lakers have been struggling with three consecutive losses, raising speculation about whether the team might utilize Bronny more on the court in the upcoming games.

In 23 games with the NBA team, Bronny has averaged just 2.3 points and logged 5.9 minutes per game. Meanwhile, his impressive G League performance prior to Monday included a previous high of 31 points in a 122-110 victory over the Rip City Remix in January, where he averaged 22.4 points across 10 regular-season games.

Following his game against the Santa Cruz Warriors, Bronny addressed his motivation for aspiring to prove himself in professional basketball. “Just that I belong out there,” he stated during an interview with Spectrum SportsNet. “That’s all I’m trying to prove. A lot of people say I don’t, but I just come out, work every day, try to get better every day and prove myself every day.”

He further expressed the importance of overcoming criticism, saying, “All the criticism that’s thrown my way, it’s just amazing to shut all that down and keep going.” As the South Bay Lakers and the main Lakers team navigate through their respective challenges, eyes will remain on Bronny James and his continued development in professional basketball.