The G League showcase is designed to give potential stars a chance to shine in front of NBA scouts.
Among them was Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James, not that a man with his surname needs much help getting attention in the basketball universe.
After making history alongside LeBron as the first father-son duo ever to take the court together in NBA history, Bronny was sent to the G League to continue his development.
The second-round pick put on some strong recent performances for the South Bay Lakers, including a career-high 30-point showing on December 12.
He has reportedly been called up by the injury-hit Lakers for the matchup against the Detroit Pistons on Monday.
Dad LeBron and superstar center Anthony Davis both appeared on the injury report ahead of the game.
Bronny may have earned more shots at the Lakers bench with his performances, but time on the floor is not guaranteed.
The G League winter showcase sees all the teams compete in an MLS Cup-style in-season tournament with scouts from 30 NBA franchises in attendance.
In two games in Orlando, Bronny averaged 11 points, four rebounds, and six assists
And according to NBA insider Marc Stein, the scouts in all held the same opinion.
“The unanimous view I heard from watching scouts at the Showcase is that James needs as much time as he can get in the G League to improve all aspects of his point guard play, from his floor game to (especially) his ability to make shots,” he wrote.
The Lakers have been moving James between the G League and NBA, originally holding the prospect out of South Bay road games – a controversial decision that was later overturned.
While there have been promising signs, it is clear that there is a lot of work to be done.
Outside of his 30-point explosion, James shot just 24-of-76 in his other seven G League appearances,
He has also struggled with a high turnover rate and committed handling errors.
Listed at 6-feet 3-inches, there is not much room for error in terms of shooting and handling if he is to make an impact in the NBA.
LeBron broke the all-time record for the most minutes played in NBA history as the Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings on Friday.
The 39-year-old surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when he completed his 57,447th minute on court.
“It’s just a commitment to the craft and to the passion and love I have for the game,” said James.
“I don’t take much time in the off-season, a little bit more time now.”
James was hoping to play 82 games this season but has been dealing with foot soreness.
And he is considering an “injury management absence” on Monday night, per the official injury report.