Gabe Vincent has seemingly taken Bronny James under his wing, and of all the players on the Los Angeles Lakers, he’s the one fans should want mentoring him. If anyone knows how to make the most of being underrated and working from the bottom up, it’s Vincent, who’s had to do that over the course of his career. And he spoke about how James’ past can help him moving forward.
"Having the game taken away from you at a younger age in the way he did, whether it be injury or whatever it was, I think it gave him a different appreciation," Vincent told Dave McMenamin of ESPN. "I think it forces you to have a different kind of fight. It puts a chip on your shoulder. Everyone needs a chip, but it gives you a different kind of belief in yourself as you're battling back. You kind of have to climb uphill. And so that builds a lot of resolve."
He will be a great mentor for James.
How can Gabe Vincent help Bronny James?
McMenamin noted that, since James entered the league, he and Vincent have become good friends.
“Failure, of course, is a relative term for James,” McMenamin wrote. “After going into cardiac arrest two years ago because of a congenital heart defect, requiring surgery that left a 6-inch scar down the center of his chest, wins and losses on a basketball court take on a different scope. Lakers guard Gabe Vincent, with whom James has grown close, sees the experience as a valuable mental edge for his teammate.
Obviously, what James went through at USC goes far beyond basketball. But from a basketball perspective, Vincent is the exact player James should want showing him the ropes at the NBA level.
Though he’s not a superstar, Vincent has carved out a fairly consistent role at the NBA level, despite dealing with some injuries. After going undrafted, he proved himself, earning regular minutes with the Miami Heat.
And as he grew, so did his role. He was a huge part of the Heat’s run to the 2023 NBA Finals, eventually earning himself a contract with the Lakers.
As James attempts to navigate life in the NBA, the best role for him will be as a 3-and-D guard who can handle the ball a little bit. That’s effectively the role Vincent has made for himself, acting as a pest on defense.
While he may not be an elite NBA player, Vincent has played consistent minutes for two different NBA franchises after going undrafted. If there is anyone who can teach James about how to find a role for himself and grind his way to success from the bottom of the NBA, it’s Vincent.
