The Los Angeles Lakers are already looking ahead to a promising future with their new additions, but they are also banking on the growth of Bronny James. The team hopes he can handle the pressure that comes with his last name and carve out a role in the rotation. In the meantime, the 20-year-old continues preparing for the upcoming NBA season.
Guard Bronny James is expected to make a leap in his sophomore year. Speaking with Lakers.com’s Mike Trudell, James revealed the focus of his offseason training. “Keep working on my game on the ball,” James said. “All the stuff off the ball will just flow.”
“But if I’m consistently confident in bringing the ball up, knowing my role and being able to play the 1 when it’s needed,” he added. “I think I’ll be good because I don’t really have any problem playing off the ball if I need to. So just getting those reps over and over again of me having the ball in my hand most of the time is really good for my development.”
Last season, the Lakers used James in a limited capacity. He appeared in only 20 games during the regular season, showing flashes of promise as a two-way player and perimeter shooter despite the small sample size.
Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers.
What Bronny has shown so far
After a slow start that saw him struggle under the media spotlight, James turned things around in the second half of the season. His improved play could be attributed to his stint in the G League, where he gained valuable minutes and confidence.
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In the NBA, James averaged just 2.3 points on 31.3% shooting from the field. In the G League, however, he posted an impressive 21.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game, shooting 44.3% overall and 38.0% from deep.
His progress was also evident at the Las Vegas Summer League. James looked more comfortable running the offense, took on a bigger scoring load, and showcased better defensive awareness. These improvements could position him as a reliable contributor for the Lakers this season.
