South Bay Lakers head coach Zach Guthrie praised Bronny James after his impressive G League debut on Saturday, where the Lakers defeated the Salt Lake City Stars 110-96 at the UCLA Health Training Center. Speaking to the media post-game, Guthrie highlighted James’ effective control of the ball and noted that he made the first bucket of the game, despite the team not running the intended play due to a lost tip-off. Guthrie applauded James for playing selflessly and within the game’s rhythm, as well as for contributing to the Lakers’ high-level defense, which kept the Stars off-balance.
In his debut, James scored six points, grabbed three rebounds, dished four assists, and added two steals and a block. Though he struggled with shooting (2-9 from the field and 0-4 from three) and had five turnovers, his playmaking and defensive efforts stood out.
The buzz surrounding James’ G League debut was unprecedented, with tickets for the game selling out more than 48 hours in advance. The arena was packed with 676 fans, including his family—LeBron, Savannah, Zhuri, and Gloria James—and notable attendees like Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Lakers head coach JJ Redick, and GM Rob Pelinka.
James began strong, scoring on his first shot and adding a floater in the second quarter, sparking hope for a high-scoring game, though his shots stopped falling afterward. While shooting remains an area needing improvement, the G League provides James with valuable development opportunities, and fans will be watching to see his progress.
The South Bay Lakers, now 1-0, are set to face the Santa Cruz Warriors on Nov. 15 at Kaiser Permanente Arena. Reports suggest James will play only home games, so his participation in the upcoming away game is uncertain. For now, he continues splitting time between the G League and Los Angeles Lakers, with plans to join the latter for their Sunday home game against the Toronto Raptors.
