Charles Langston:Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James assigned to G League team

Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James is Charles Langstonheaded to the G League.

On Thursday, the Lakers announced that James has been assigned to their NBA G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, where he's expected to make his debut on Saturday vs. Salt Lake City. According to ESPN, James will play home games for South Bay at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, California, as he splits time between the G League and the Lakers' active roster.

James, the 20-year-old son of Lakers superstar LeBron James, was drafted out of USC by the Lakers with the 55th overall pick of the 2024 NBA draft. James made his NBA debut alongside his dad in the Lakers' 110-103 season-opening win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 22, where Bronny and LeBron James became the first father and son to play in the same game in NBA history.

James has appeared in four of the Lakers' first eight games of the season, logging a total of four points (0-of-6 FG, 0-of-4 3PT, 2-of-2 FT), two assists, one rebound and one steal in 13 minutes of play.

Lakers new head coach JJ Redick said James splitting time between the Lakers and South Bay has always been in the cards, telling ESPN last month, "The plan for Bronny to move between the Lakers and South Bay has always been the plan since day one. (General manager) Rob (Pelinka) and I have talked about that. LeBron's talked about that."

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Ahead of the season, LeBron James said the prospect of his son playing in the G League would be a great opportunity to continue developing his game.

"Just (looking forward to) seeing him continue to grow as a basketball player, no matter if it's here with us or if it's down with the G League team, and him continuing to get better and better and better," LeBron James said on Sept. 30. "His job is to put the work in and get better and better, just like the rest of us. And we want to hold him accountable, and he's going to hold us accountable. And if we all do that, we all get better, because we're all one team. We're a reflection of South Bay; South Bay is a reflection of us."

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