Tartan Tailgating: Feeling of Bronny’s Aura

South Bay Lakers is G-League associated Los Angeles Lakers, and their arena is located just south of Los Angeles International Airport, in El Segundo, California. They play at the UCLA Health Training Center, which only seats 750 fans, but the arena has large facilities and also acts as a lakers practicing the facility and the office headquarters.

After acquiring two media passes to cover the game on Monday, February 3rd against Oklahoma City Blue, my friend Francisco and I drove to the game from the University of California, Riverside (UCR). Driving at. 16 on a Monday meant that there was a lot of traffic and we got there in 85 minutes. Media pass came with parking right next to the entrance and there was zero extra waiting time.

After collecting our credentials and getting past security, we were greeted with our media seats in the second row, on the sidelines against the visitors’ bench. It was a great view and we were surrounded by other journalists who also covered the game.

Tip-off was at. 19, and Lakers started quickly and went into the break with a 14-point lead. However, The Blue storming came back in the second half and the lead was down to two with a minute to go in the game. Miller Kopp hit a Fadeaway-Three-Pint with 26 seconds left, giving the blue a one-point lead, and they hung on to win the game, 105-101.

After the game, I was given the opportunity to interview some of the South Bay Laker players, overwritten by Bronny James. Reporters were initiated another court and the players went to the microphones one by one.

When Bronny came and went towards the group of journalists, I was beaten with a wave of nerves and adrenaline. I felt a little Starstruck standing next to the son of the biggest athlete of the time, LeBron James.

Bronny finished the game with 16 points in 5/17 shooting in 35 minutes, and when asked what he felt went wrong in the fourth quarter, he replied: “I think it was the energy. They went on their run, so our energy went down and I think the pages just turned and we were unable to come back. ”

The game was less than 48 hours after the Blockbuster trade with Luka Dončić and Anthony Davis, and I asked Bronny if the trade had any mental effect on the game. Bronny reassured, “I think I was able to play for free, it doesn’t really affect G-League so that didn’t really change me (in the game).”

It was my first interaction ever with Bronny James, and it feels quite surreal to say that I have talked to him. I could feel that his aura exudes throughout the game and standing in the presence of Bronny was a feeling that I can’t put words on.

The Los Angeles Lakers organization performs a fantastic job with Media’s needs, especially at UCLA Health Training Center for G-League Games. The staff, security and fans were all super friendly and I would very much like to cover more South Bay Laker games in the future.