The South Bay Lakers G League team will attract plenty of extra interest starting this weekend. Bronny James will be on the roster and taking the court on Saturday, and there will be plenty of eyes on the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Bronny James To Make His G League Debut This Weekend
The son of LeBron James, Bronny has plenty to learn in the developmental league. But while he is there honing his skills, there will be a major difference between him and some of his new teammates, and that comes in the financial department.
Bronny James has been assigned to the G League’s South Bay Lakers and is expected to debut against Salt Lake City on Saturday, per @ShamsCharania
James will play only home games for South Bay, moving between the G League and NBA as seen fit. pic.twitter.com/0yf1WuJhbB
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) November 7, 2024
G League salaries are notoriously low. It has been reported that the average player will take home $40,500 for the current season, which is an uptick from year’s past. It is rarely a sole source of income for players, with some even having jobs outside of basketball in order to stay afloat while chasing their dreams.
That is not at all the case for Bronny James. After he was drafted, the 20-year-old signed a contract that late-second round picks rarely see. The deal he inked was for 4-years, and has a total value of $7.8 million, with $4.3 million of that coming in guarantees.
James’ Salary Is 28 Times Higher Than The Average G Leaguer
It is a high number for a second round pick in itself, but it will blow the average G League salary out of the water. In his first season alone, James will earn $1.157 million from his contract. That figure represents a payout that is 28 times that of the players that he’ll be playing with and against.
Bronny James will be with the Lakers’ professional squad during Friday’s game against the 76ers, and will return to South Bay for Saturday’s game against Salt Lake. The G League contest will be played at the UCLA Health and Training Center, which is located in El Segundo, about a 15-mile drive from Crypto.com Arena.
Bronny James is set to make his G League debut for the South Bay Lakers on Saturday.
The game is sold out, but there are a few listings on @TickPick.
The cheapest ticket is $189, making it the most expensive basketball game to attend this week 😳 pic.twitter.com/8mVGXXfgJG
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 8, 2024
There is already plenty of interest surrounding this weekend’s game. The venue where the game will be held has a capacity of less than 1,000, and the Lakers ranked dead last in attendance two years ago. But that has changed drastically for the upcoming game, as tickets to the event are now sold out, with courtside seats being re-sold for as much as $270.
Bronny James has appeared in four NBA games for the Lakers so far this season. He has played a total of 13 minutes, and has made just one of his six shot attempts. He has two assists, a steal, and a rebound.
