Bronny has been getting more play as of late due to both injuries to the Lakers squad and also blowouts in favor of the purple and gold. Tonight saw the latter take place with no one happier for him than Gilbert Arenas.
Advertisement
Luka Doncic and company handled business finishing the game 125-109 against a decimated Spurs squad missing both Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox due to season ending injuries. It didn’t take long for the LakeShow to bust this game wide open and offer up a chance to the bench squad to get into the game.
The discourse around Bronny has started to shift from where it was when he initially got drafted. Looked at as someone who made it to the NBA purely due to nepotistic tendencies within inner league circles, he’s now being appreciated for the work he’s put in in the G-League for the South Bay Lakers.
Averaging 20.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in the G, it’s clear he’s found a way to be productive as a 55th overall pick. Tonight’s game saw a bit of those reps come to fruition.
Checking into the game at the 2:30 mark in the 4th quarter with the score 120-102 in favor of LA, Bronny took merely 81 seconds to drain a 3. This was his only bucket and stat for the night but it was enough to get Gil hyped.
“You done f***ed up some people 9!” yelled Arenas while watching the live broadcast on Playback. Clearly the former Wizard is enamored by the prospect and understandably so.
BRONNY BUCKETS GOT GIL HYPE
(: @GilsArenaShow) pic.twitter.com/LnJfJc40Q3
— Playback (@WatchPlayback) March 18, 2025
LeBron James reached out to Arenas while the former’s son was still in school and asked him to train him. Arenas gladly obliged and trained Bronny along with his own son, Alijah, who is a top prospect in his class.
“Man stand up for yourself,” was what Gil shouted towards James Jr when he realized he was getting beat up on. The workout Gil put him through were grueling given the fact that during his own playing days, he trained ‘Black Ops style’ the way Kobe Bryant did.
So, it makes sense that now that Bronny’s in the league, Gil is actively rooting for him. On a prior episode of ‘Gil’s Arena’, he even stated that the 20 year old would be a top 5 Rookie of the Year candidate if he received 36 minutes a night.
Of course, a 55th pick getting All-Star level minutes in his rookie season on a title contending team would not only raise several eyebrows but also drive a wrench into the rotation. But his point stands. It’s been great to see James Jr rise up from all the detraction he received online and become an interesting project for Rob Pelinka and the Lakers top brass to monitor.