Bronny James Shows Out in the Desert: 22 Points as Coachella Valley Lakers Win Their First-Ever Game
The assignment was supposed to be about minutes. Bronny James turned it into a statement.
One day after the Los Angeles Lakers assigned him to their G League affiliate, James started for the Coachella Valley Lakers in the franchise’s first-ever game — and, by the Desert Sun’s account, was the best player on the court. James finished with 22 points, five rebounds and seven assists as Coachella Valley beat the Salt Lake City Stars 104-98 on Friday night in the team’s inaugural home opener at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert.
The building was full for the debut, with purple-and-gold fans getting their first look at the relocated affiliate — the former South Bay Lakers, who moved to the desert this season — in a Tip-Off Tournament matchup. James, who had played just 12 total minutes across five games for the NBA Lakers this season, got the starting nod, as MyNewsLA reported before tip-off; assigned players customarily start to maximize their run, and James made the most of it, running the offense and stuffing the stat sheet on both ends of the floor.
He had help. Cole Swider led Coachella Valley with a team-high 23 points, Anton Watson’s defense was crucial down the stretch, and fellow Lakers assignee Cameron Carr — the rookie guard sent down with James on Thursday — added 13 points in the win.
The G League reality check came fast, though: the Desert Sun reports it was already announced that both James and Carr will rejoin the Los Angeles Lakers after Friday’s game. So the desert got one night of Bronny — and he made it count.
Coachella Valley returns to Acrisure Arena on Monday to face the San Diego Clippers.
Source: The Desert Sun (Palm Springs), with pregame reporting from MyNewsLA.
