South Bay coach Zach Guthrie showered praise on Bronny James after his G League debut against Salt Lake City Stars at the Lakers’ practice facility. The South Bay registered a 110-96 win and James Jr. was able to impress one and all.
The 20-year-old finished 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.
James took only 43 seconds to score his first G League points when he scored a 17-foot jumper along the baseline.
“I was just getting a bucket,” James said after the game. “It got to me, and I just … yeah. I didn’t miss.”
Lakers two-way guard Quincy Olivari, who led South Bay with 28 points, lauded Bronny James for his impressive game.
“I was just happy to see him get out there and show the world that he can play,” Olivari said. “I think I’m a big advocate on pushing that he’s a great basketball player and that the criticism he gets is unfair.”
Guthrie, on the other hand, was delighted with James’ defense and said he played for the team ahead of himself.
“I think he did a great job dictating on the ball,” Guthrie said. “He played great, he played unselfishly, he played within the flow of the game. And I thought, like all our guards, we defended at a high level. We talked about dictating. They weren’t comfortable in their offense.”
Meanwhile, Salt Lake coach Steve Wojciechowski feels Bronny James’ participation adds more viewership to the G league.
“It’s one of the great 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 eyeballs to our league. And we have one of the best leagues in the world. Maybe the third-best league in the world, after the NBA and EuroLeague. And it’s really the future stars of the game. His story is bringing attention not just to South Bay but the league in general and for the guys who play in the league.”
