Bronny James struggling in G League is a worrying sign for his NBA future with Lakers

Bronny James didn't have a great freshman season at USC. Those struggles continued into Summer League and preseason.

It shouldn't come as a surprise, then, that Bronny continues to look overmatched in the G League. 

We knew that Bronny probably wasn't going to be able to contribute to the Lakers right away. He still needs a lot of development, which is why he's playing in G League games. But the extent to which he is struggling is yet another red flag because he should be better than this against the competition he's facing. 

Here's why Bronny's slow start in the G League is a concern. 

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Why Bronny James struggling in G League is a worrying sign for his NBA future

Bronny's G League stats speak for themselves. He's only played in two games so far due to the reported plan for him to be in South Bay for home games. 

Those two games have been rough, to say the least. 

Bronny James per game averages in the G League

Points	5.0
Rebounds	2.5
Assists	3.0
Turnovers	3.0
Steals	1.0
Blocks	1.0
Field goal percentage	21.1%
3-point percentage	0%

Many rookies struggle during Summer League or preseason, but to have these numbers in 28.5 minutes per game in the G League is a whole other type of struggle. Lakers teammates Quincy Olivari and Maxwell Lewis are also on assignment with South Bay, and they are averaging 28.3 and 24.5 points per game, respectively. 

Bronny's struggles are an outlier among NBA-caliber prospects. Of the 60 players on two-way contracts who have played in the G League this season, only one is averaging fewer points per game than Bronny — 18-year-old Raptors defensive specialist center Ulrich Chomche, who is averaging 0.5 points less in 12 fewer minutes per game. 

Of the nine second-rounders from the 2024 NBA Draft playing in the G League, again, only Chomche is averaging fewer points. Bronny, who was taken with the 55th pick, has by far the worst field goal percentage of that group, the fewest rebounds and is No. 2 in turnovers. 

MORE: What South Bay assignment means for Bronny James

Bronny is struggling at a level far worse than anyone else in his draft class. It's not as if he isn't getting opportunities to score. He's averaging 9.5 shots per game. The issue is that he's not making any of those looks.

There have been one or two instances where he's looked like a G League player. 

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) November 18, 2024

Those have been few and far between. He's only made three shots in the paint out of 11 attempts. When he has tried to drive, he hasn't been able to create enough separation to get a good look at the rim, and his touch hasn't been there either.

Bronny's jump shot has been even worse than his driving game. He's missed his first six 3-pointers, continuing a trend from the NBA preseason where he went just 1-of-12 from deep.

There have been some flashes of playmaking — Bronny had a nice hook pass to set up a lob dunk in his first game — but the turnovers and mistakes far outweigh his occasional nice passing. 

MORE: Former NBA star breaks down biggest problem for Bronny James

Bronny is still showing defensive promise

If Bronny is going to make it as a prospect, it's going to be as a defensive specialist.

Bronny was a difference-maker on defense during the Summer League and preseason, and that's happening again in the G League. He's had some impressive blocks and good help defense. 

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) November 18, 2024

Bronny does have nice anticipation, just like his dad. He has a knack for knowing where the ball is going to go. 

— LakeShow Highlights (@LSH_lakeshow) November 10, 2024

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Bronny is already a capable NBA defender, but how impactful can a 6-2 guard who can't shoot, drive or pass be? He still looks overmatched on offense and his defense isn't good enough to make up for those deficiencies. 

What Bronny's G League performance is showing us is that he is still very, very far away from being a real NBA player. Even among players his own age or second-round picks, he sticks out for not being of the same caliber. He needs to develop a lot more, which his management group is making even more difficult by keeping him out of road games for the South Bay Lakers.

Bronny's G League struggles are yet another signal that it's going to take years before he can perhaps become a useful NBA role player.