Lakers’ Bronny James Continues to Flash Upside in G League

Several of the Los Angeles Lakers’ developmental players were back in action on Saturday night, as G League affiliate the South Bay Lakers wrapped up the second night of a back-to-back set.

South Bay opened the stretch with a commanding 127-105 victory over the Texas Legends on Friday, powered by Drew Timme’s 25-point performance.

Fellow two-way player Chris Manon, Lakers rookie Adou Thiero, and NBA assignee Bronny James all saw the floor in a well-rounded team effort.

Thiero, who recently returned from a long-term MCL sprain, sat out the second game. However, Timme, Manon, and James all featured again on Saturday against Texas, with James delivering one of his most encouraging performances of the season.

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Lakers’ Bronny James Delivers More Complete Performance

James opened his latest G League stint with 13 points, five rebounds, and five assists in Friday’s win.

While his efficiency was inconsistent, shooting 5-of-14 from the field and 1-of-4 from beyond the arc, his overall impact extended well beyond scoring.

His defensive versatility stood out, highlighted by two blocks and a steal.

He also made several hustle plays that did not appear on the stat sheet, including a key third-quarter sequence in which he saved the ball from going out of bounds, leading directly to a fast-break finish by Timme.

In Saturday’s rematch, James took another step forward with a more polished and efficient showing.

Logging 34 minutes, the 21-year-old finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, and three assists on 7-of-14 shooting, while knocking down three three-pointers.

His defensive activity remained evident, adding a steal and a block as South Bay secured a 104-99 victory.

Timme once again led the way with 24 points and six rebounds, while Manon contributed 13 points, nine rebounds, and an eye-catching five steals.

G League standout RJ Davis continued his strong run of form, adding 23 points, seven assists, and two blocks, while connecting on five shots from beyond the arc.

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Lakers Guard Embracing Evolving Two-Way Role

Entering Saturday’s game, James was averaging 15.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, one steal, and just under one block per game across six regular season G League appearances.

He has done so with impressive efficiency, shooting 53.6% from the field and 40.6% from three-point range.

Although that production trails his late-season surge last year of 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game on 38% three-point shooting over his final 11 outings, it reflects a shift towards becoming a more complete two-way contributor.

Following a pre-All-Star NBA appearance against the San Antonio Spurs, where he recorded a season-high 12 points alongside three rebounds, six assists, and a block, James emphasized his defensive priorities.

“I’d say defensively, that’s my role that I want to excel at,” he told reporters following the Spurs game. “We have a lot of guys, Luka, LeBron, AR. Those guys can go get buckets whenever we need them. But they need guys like myself, Vando, Jake, guys who can defend.”

That approach aligns closely with how NBA organizations evaluate young prospects at the G League level, where defensive effort, positional discipline, and consistent hustle often carry as much weight as scoring production.

With the latest win, South Bay improved to 13-8 on the season and strengthened its position in the playoff race.

The team has now won three straight games, with several Lakers prospects continuing to gain valuable experience and momentum at a crucial stage of the season.