During a recent game in Washington, Bronny James faced chants of “M-V-P” from the crowd as he approached the free throw line in the closing seconds of the Los Angeles Lakers’ convincing 134-96 victory over the Wizards on Thursday night. This marked his second consecutive game in the NBA this season, but the attention on the oldest son of LeBron James remains constant.

Just two days prior, Bronny found himself under scrutiny from ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith, among others, following his playing time in the Lakers’ 118-104 defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers. In that game, after being called upon by coach J.J. Redick to provide a spark in the first quarter, he struggled with a stat line of 0 for 5 shooting, three rebounds, three turnovers, one assist, and one blocked shot.

“I’m begging LeBron James, as a parent: please stop this,” Smith said on ESPN’s “First Take.” “We all know that Bronny is in the NBA because of his father.”

This sentiment has shadowed Bronny James throughout his initial professional basketball season, with many skeptics questioning the legitimacy of his presence in the league, attributing it mainly to his father’s fame. After making history on opening night by becoming the first father-son duo to share the NBA court, Bronny has been fluctuating between the NBA and G League. He has encountered some rough outings in the NBA but has also shown promising improvement while playing for the South Bay Lakers in the G League.

Here’s a detailed look at Bronny James’ performance in both the NBA and G League, along with information on his upcoming games:

Bronny James NBA Performance

Bronny’s time on the court for the Lakers has been inconsistent, having played in 14 out of the team’s 46 games leading up to a nationally televised contest against the New York Knicks on Saturday. His shooting numbers are underwhelming, achieving only 2 of 22 from the field this season, which includes a dismal 0 for 9 from beyond the arc.

The last two games provided him with extended playing time of over 15 minutes and 12 minutes, respectively—it was the most he’s played this season. Often, he has only seen the floor during garbage time in blowout situations. His performance against the Wizards on Thursday, where he played the entire fourth quarter and made his first field goal since October 30, resulted in a personal best of five points.

“He did a lot of nice things tonight,” Redick remarked post-game. “He made some solid passes. It’s a constructive step for him as a young player; tonight helped him build positively.”

Overall, Bronny averages 0.6 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game in the NBA.

Bronny James G League Performance

Bronny has been shuffled between the Lakers and their G League affiliate multiple times this season, with team officials confirming their intent for him to gain significant development experience in the G League.

He made his G League debut on Nov. 9, scoring six points, providing four assists, and snagging three rebounds in a win against the Salt Lake City Stars. A heel contusion suffered in his second game on Nov. 17 sidelined him for nearly three weeks, but he bounced back to score 16 points in a subsequent victory over the San Diego Clippers on Dec. 7.

Initially, he participated only in home games for South Bay. However, his career best performance occurred during a road game on Dec. 12 when he netted 30 points. Then, on Jan. 24, he eclipsed that mark with 31 points in a win over the Rip City Remix. This strong showing coincided with his first opportunity for significant playing time in the NBA.

Across 10 appearances in the G League, Bronny averages 16.3 points, 4.2 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game, shooting 39% overall and 31.6% from three-point territory.

Upcoming Games for Bronny James

The Los Angeles Lakers are currently on a six-game road trip, gearing up for an important nationally televised game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, which could be Bronny’s next appearance in the NBA. Following that, the Lakers will head back to Los Angeles to face the Clippers on Tuesday, Feb. 4, followed by a home stretch featuring matchups against the Golden State Warriors (Feb. 6), Indiana Pacers (Feb. 8), and Utah Jazz (Feb. 10).

Should Bronny be reassigned to the South Bay Lakers before this weekend, he could play in a G League game as soon as Friday night against the Texas Legends at the UCLA Health Training Center. The South Bay Lakers also have games scheduled against the Oklahoma City Blue on Saturday and Monday. They will then travel to play the Salt Lake City Stars on Wednesday, Feb. 5, and return home to host the Valley Suns on Friday, Feb. 7.

Upcoming Games for the Los Angeles Lakers

All times Eastern

• Saturday: Los Angeles Lakers at New York Knicks, 8:30 p.m. (ABC)
• Tuesday: Los Angeles Lakers at Los Angeles Clippers, 10 p.m. (TNT)
• Thursday: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors, 10 p.m. (TNT)
• Feb. 8: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Indiana Pacers, 4 p.m.
• Feb. 10: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz, 10:30 p.m.
• Feb. 12: Los Angeles Lakers at Utah Jazz, 9 p.m.

Upcoming Games for the South Bay Lakers

All times Eastern

• Friday: South Bay Lakers vs. Texas Legends, 10 p.m.
• Saturday: South Bay Lakers vs. Oklahoma Blue, 8 p.m.
• Monday: South Bay Lakers vs. Oklahoma Blue, 10 p.m.
• Wednesday: South Bay Lakers at Salt Lake City Stars, 9 p.m.
• Feb. 7: South Bay Lakers vs. Valley Suns, 10 p.m.
• Feb. 8: South Bay Lakers at San Diego Clippers, 10 p.m.
• Feb. 12: South Bay Lakers vs. Austin Spurs, 10 p.m.
• Feb. 13: South Bay Lakers vs. Austin Spurs, 10 p.m.

Bronny James’ Contract Details

Bronny signed a four-year contract worth $7.9 million with the Lakers after being selected in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft. As a rookie with less than three years of experience, he can be sent to the NBA G League an unlimited number of times.