Bronny James Checks Off Major Career Milestone

Every game is a milestone when you're a rookie, and for Bronny James, one of those long-awaited moments has finally arrived. It took 16 NBA games, but the young guard finally knocked down his first three-pointer. Given his name and the scrutiny that comes with it, the moment was bigger than when your average rookie gets their first bucket from deep.

The Lakers cruised to a dominant 122-97 win over the Clippers, effectively putting the game away in the first quarter with a blistering 45-29 start. With the outcome all but decided, head coach JJ Redick emptied the bench, giving Bronny some late-game minutes. With 4:30 left in regulation and the Lakers leading 111-85, Bronny found himself isolated at the top of the key. He didn’t hesitate, calmly stepping into the shot and burying his first career three. While he missed a pair of free throws later in the quarter, it was still a moment worth celebrating as he continues to find his footing in the NBA.

It’s been an uphill battle for Bronny in his transition to the pros. Before finally connecting from deep, he had been 0-9 from three and just 3-23 overall. His minutes have been limited, and his role with the Lakers is still undefined. But while his NBA numbers don’t jump off the page, his play in the G League suggests that development is happening.

Since the start of the “new” G League season (after the Tip-Off tournament reset the stats), Bronny has played in four games, averaging 21.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2.3 steals in 33 minutes per game. He’s also shooting a respectable 40.6% from three, making 13 of his 32 attempts. That’s a major improvement from his early struggles, when he shot just 21.2% from beyond the arc during the Tip-Off tournament. His best performance came against the Rip City Remix on January 25th, when he exploded for 31 points, going 5-for-11 from deep.