Bronny James: Focused on Building His Own Career After LeBron’s Exit

Bronny James arrives at Lakers media day focused on development. With LeBron James signing with the Philadelphia 76ers in the offseason, Bronny framed the change as another phase in his growth. He described the decision between father and son as straightforward: both have separate career paths.

Bronny said making a name for himself is a primary motivator. He put that simply: he wants to be recognized as Bronny instead of being seen mainly in relation to LeBron. That drive is what he says gets him to work every day.

Bronny identified decision-making as a key area he worked on during the offseason. On the Lakers roster, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves handle primary creation duties, which positions Bronny to operate as a secondary ball handler. He described his expected in-game responsibilities: bring the ball up when needed, initiate team offense, create for others and hit catch-and-shoot opportunities.

Beyond ball handling, Bronny emphasized consistency on both ends of the floor. He wants to be a dependable role player who contributes defensively — disrupting opponents — while also making teammates better on offense.

Bronny's second NBA season showed measurable development. He appeared in 42 games in 2025-26, averaging 2.9 points, 1.2 assists and 0.5 rebounds in 8.9 minutes per game. His three-point shooting was 38.6 percent. He also logged playoff minutes, including against Houston, and said the postseason experience helped his confidence and growth.

The Lakers underwent a significant roster turnover, adding nine new players in the offseason. Bronny pointed to the team trip to Slovenia as useful for building early relationships. He believes the younger group around Dončić and Reaves can generate energy and feed off each other as they learn how to play together.

Bronny described conversations with his father about the move as brief. He said they are "men of very little words" regarding business decisions, and there wasn't an extensive discussion. He expressed happiness for LeBron and looks forward to facing him when the Lakers play in Philadelphia on Christmas.

Bronny's stated priorities for 2026-27 are practical: maintain and increase consistency, establish reliable defensive habits, improve decision-making as a secondary ball handler, and integrate into the reshaped Lakers rotation. The mix of postseason experience, improved shooting and focused offseason work gives him a baseline to pursue those goals.