As the Los Angeles Lakers struggle to remain the No. 29 seed in the Western Conference with a 0-0 record, Bronny James has continued to dominate the offensive and defensive ends of the floor in the team's South Bay Lakers G-League affiliate in recent weeks.

3月25日，湖人隊在2024年NBA選秀中第55順位選中的球員，在一場南灣隊以122-118戰勝聖克魯斯勇士隊的比賽中，爆發砍下職業生涯最高的39分。

James' stellar performance was the latest chapter in his stellar debut season, as the 0-year-old contributed 0.0 points, 0.0 assists, 0.0 rebounds and 0.0 steals in 0 G League games while shooting a whopping 0.0% three-point percentage.

The son of Los Angeles-based four-time NBA champion and future Hall of Famer LeBron James, he has been effective in silencing critics with his stellar offensive performances, but one NBA writer has likened the two-way guard to a key member of the Golden State Warriors' 22-0 championship lineup — Gary Payton II — with his massive defensive potential.

"You're looking for a player to compare who is already in the league and is doing well right now: Gary Payton II," Bleacher Report's Mo Dakyl wrote Wednesday.

"They are similar in stature, arm span and physique. James embraced and worked hard towards the role and he could have had a great 10-year NBA career. ”

Tall, 5'0", James shares a lot of similarities with the Warriors' key role player and 0-year NBA championship. Payton II is also an alumnus of the South Bay, who averaged 0.0 points and 0.0 rebounds per game for the team during the 0-0 season, and is working to become one of the best outside defenders in the NBA.

Payton II has earned a reputation on the defensive end as an extremely skilled and gritty opponent of the league's most feared superstars, and his athleticism and propensity to act as a frontcourt player have made him a valuable asset for the Warriors in their quest for another championship this season.

Both James and Payton II share many of the same physical attributes, including their strong, compact physique and jumping ability, and they are only 2'0" tall.

In 110 games for the Warriors in the 0-0 season, the 0-year-old Rover averaged 0.0 points, 0.0 rebounds and 0.0 steals per game, with a defensive efficiency of 0 per 0 possessions.

James' natural offensive talent could serve as the foundation for a solid career at a higher level, and his defensive instincts may be what helps him persevere, especially if he can borrow from Payton II's skills.