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Bronny James is heading back to the G League as he works to secure a more consistent role in professional basketball.
The Los Angeles Lakers announced on Thursday, November 5, that they had assigned the 22-year-old guard to their affiliate team, the Coachella Valley Lakers. The move comes after James received limited playing time during the NBA team's opening nine games of the season.
Bronny, the eldest son of NBA superstar LeBron James, was selected by the Lakers with the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. His arrival made history when he and his father became the first father-son duo to play together in an NBA game.
LeBron, 41, has since moved to the Philadelphia 76ers, leaving Bronny to continue developing his career in Los Angeles.
The younger James has struggled to find opportunities on the Lakers' roster this season. Before his assignment, he averaged 0.8 points in 2.4 minutes per game, largely appearing during the closing moments of contests when the team had already secured a comfortable lead.
Across three seasons, Bronny has appeared in 74 NBA games. He has also spent considerable time with the Lakers' G League affiliate, previously known as the South Bay Lakers. The team relocated to Coachella Valley ahead of the current season.
His performances in the developmental league have offered a glimpse of his potential. According to ESPN, Bronny averaged 18.4 points, 4.4 assists and four rebounds while playing for the affiliate.
The Lakers also assigned shooting guard Cameron Carr to Coachella Valley alongside James.
The G League team is scheduled to open its season on Friday, November 6, against the Salt Lake City Stars.
Meanwhile, the Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers are expected to meet for the first time since LeBron joined the Sixers. It remains uncertain whether either James will take the court for the matchup.
Bronny previously addressed his father's move during the Lakers' media day, saying he was happy for LeBron and focused on building his own career.
"We're men of very little words when it comes to talking about business and what we're going to do and how we feel about each other," he said.
Bronny added that both men have their own paths, explaining that his father understands his desire to establish himself and continue improving as a player. He said LeBron's decision to move was made with that focus in mind.
