How Are the G-League Austin Spurs Doing Compared to Bronny James?

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jonah Kubicek | Last updated Dec 13, 2024 4:25 PM ET

On Thursday night, Bronny James set a career-high 30 points in the NBA G League as the South Bay Lakers fell to the Valley Suns, 106-100. The son of LeBron James shot 13-23 from the floor and 3-9 from 3-point range, and added three rebounds, two assists, and a steal in the contest.

Unsurprisingly, NBA media clung to the solid game from the rookie, as his last name drives clicks and garners plenty of attention. No one in the G League is more famous than he is, although one San Antonio Spurs player has been off to quite the start with the Austin Spurs.

After going undrafted from Morehead State University, Riley Minix signed a training camp deal with the Spurs. In the summer league, he dislocated his shoulder but averaged nine points on efficient shooting.

He has only made on appearance for the Silver and Black this year, missing his lone 3-pointer in a blowout loss to the Houston Rockets. He and rookie Harrison Ingram have been assigned to Austin, and in the Spurs' 124-112 win over the Rio Grande Valley Vipers--the Rockets' affiliate--he scored 27 points, grabbed eight boards, dished four assists, and shot 46 percent from deep.

He is shooting 44.7 percent from deep in 12 G League games this season and is averaging 20.4 points, having a much better start to his career than the younger James.

Of course, Minix doesn't have the name recognition that Bronny enjoys, so no one can fault the national media for not paying as much attention to him, but Inside the Spurs can happily report that he has helped lead Austin to a 9-3 record and they are sitting atop the South Division. The South Bay Lakers, meanwhile, are a lowly 4-9, although Bronny has only played in four games and doesn't travel with the team.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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