Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James arguably isn’t being treated like just any fringe NBA player, and now, the 2024 second-round pick is making headlines for his development plan in the G League.
Instead of having to travel with the Lakers’ G League affiliate — the South Bay Lakers — for road games, he will only be playing in South Bay’s home contests. The team has its second home contest of the season, which will be against the Stockton Kings, on Sunday night.
Former NFL safety Ryan Clark thinks that James — who has accomplished very little at the NBA level to this point — should be “begging” to be able to travel with the G League squad.
Bronny James play road games with the Lakers G-League affiliate… But Why? The first headline I read noted,”team flies commercial.” And?
What has Bronny earned? He should be begging his organization, & if need be his father to let him play. He should want to prove himself to his… pic.twitter.com/uKEltNLAuQ
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) November 16, 2024
“As far as Bronny James not traveling with the team on road games and…you sayin’, ‘Well, they stay at the Courtyard Marriott,’ what has Bronny James done that he shouldn’t be able to stay at the Courtyard Marriott?” Clark asked. “You say, ‘Well, they fly commercial.’ What has Bronny James done where he should be too good to fly commercial?
“The pros isn’t about where you came from, how you were raised, what your parents had. Professional sports is about how well you can contribute, and you don’t get treated differently because of your parents. You get treated differently because of your ability to contribute.
“And if I’m Bronny James…I’m begging Rich Paul. I’m begging J.J. Redick. I’m begging my father, ‘Please let me travel with this team. Please let me stay at the Courtyard Marriott. Please let me fly commercial. Please let me go somewhere where I’ma get up more than six shots in three games to not only prove it to my organization that I’m worthy of being on this team, but to my damn self.'”
Of course, James’ father LeBron is considered to be NBA royalty, and he also just so happens to play for Los Angeles. The elder James is in his seventh season in L.A., and during that span, he’s helped the organization win one NBA title and reach two Western Conference Finals.
The 39-year-old is also still helping to lead the way for the Purple and Gold despite his advanced age. For one, he’s nearly averaging a triple-double in his 22nd NBA season.
On top of that, the elder James’ 3-point shot has arguably never looked better than it has so far this season. He is burying an impressive 43.1 percent of his 3s, and he’s doing so on decent volume, as he’s taking 5.5 per contest.
The younger James and elder James made history together when they became the first father-son duo to share the floor in NBA history during L.A.’s season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves back on Oct. 22. But the younger James didn’t score a point in that contest, and he hasn’t dropped more than two points in a single game for Los Angeles so far this season.
Maybe the youngster will see some NBA action when L.A. plays the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday. The Jazz have the worst record of any team in the Western Conference right now at 3-9.
