Bronny James turned in a standout performance for the G League’s South Bay Lakers on Friday night, putting up a team-high 31 points with five three-pointers made, adding three assists, two rebounds and a pair of steals. James also wowed the crowd and his teammates at the UCLA Health Training Center with an impressive poster dunk in the third quarter.
But something James said after the game was more impressive than anything he did on the court Friday night. Speaking in a postgame interview with Spectrum Sportsnet, James had a powerful response when he was asked if he's having fun.
"I am having fun. Any time I'm playing basketball, any time I'm out here breathing, any time I'm out here walking ... I'm grateful for everything."
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 25, 2025
This quote from Bronny ❤️ pic.twitter.com/zru7Q6qjMV
"I am having fun," James said. "Any time I'm playing basketball, any time I'm out here breathing, any time I'm out here walking ... I'm having fun and I'm grateful. I'm just down-to-Earth and I'm grateful for everything that's been given to me."
During a workout with the USC Trojans back in July of 2023, James went into cardiac arrest as a result of what was later determined to be a congenital heart defect. In addition to being a life-threatening heart emergency, the situation, for a moment in time, put James's basketball career in serious jeopardy.
But James, after a long road to recovery, has since been drafted into the NBA, made league history appearing in a Los Angeles Lakers game alongside his father LeBron James, and has posted averages of 16.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in the G League.
And the experience, while a trying one, has instilled in him a wise-beyond-his-years perspective on life.
More of the Latest Around the NBA
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bronny James Had Powerful Message After Big Performance for South Bay Lakers.
