Los Angeles Lakers rookie combo guard Bronny James, the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft out of USC, sat out L.A.’s second California Classic game this summer with an ailment.
The 6-foot-4 combo guard missed the Lakers’ 92-68 blowout loss to the Golden State Warriors on Sunday due to some trace swelling in his left knee, reports Mike Trudell of Lakers.com. Los Angeles opted to hold James out of the eventual loss, the team’s second straight contest over the weekend.
“Taking it day-by-day, just being precautionary about it,” head coach Dane Johnson indicated, per Trudell. “The plan is for him to play (Wednesday).”
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In the Lakers’ first game of the California Classic, a 108-94 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Saturday at the Chase Center, James scored four points on 2-of-9 shooting from the field (0-of-3 shooting from long range) and 0-of-2 shooting from the charity stripe, two rebounds, two assists, and one steal in 22 minutes. He notched a game-low -15 plus-minus on the night, tying with fellow L.A. draftee Dalton Knecht.
James, the son of Los Angeles All-NBA combo forward LeBron James, had an injury-plagued one-and-done year with the Trojans in 2023-24. The team went just 15-18, while James missed a month due to a cardiac arrest incurred at the Galen Center over the summer. He averaged just 4.8 points on .366/.267/.676 shooting splits, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists a night in 25 games.
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