Bronny James Poised for Breakout in Second NBA Season
Bronny James, drafted 55th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2024, began his NBA career under intense scrutiny as LeBron James’ son. His rookie season featured limited action—181 minutes across 27 games—mostly in garbage time, alongside development in the G League with the South Bay Lakers.
Summer League Shows Growth
Returning to the Las Vegas Summer League, Bronny displayed improved confidence and composure. Lakers assistant Nate McMillan told The Sports Shop with Reese and K-Mac, “We’ve seen a lot of growth from year one… His shot was never broken, but the confidence was clear. Defensively, we wanted him to challenge himself.” McMillan highlighted how G League experience prepared him for the professional stage.
Fighting for Minutes
The Lakers’ guard rotation is crowded with stars like Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, but Bronny could carve out opportunities as the sixth guard. Head coach JJ Redick emphasized that with “elite shape,” Bronny has the tools to become a great player.
From Rookie to Contributor
Late second-round pick or not, Bronny is on track to make meaningful NBA contributions this season, potentially validating one of the 2024 draft’s most talked-about selections.
— Bronny (@BronnyJamesJr) July 26, 2025
