It was a rough night for the Lakers on Friday, with their 135-117 loss to the Hornets marked by their usual problems with shooting and defense. Still, there were some positive moments amid all the disappointment. In the fourth quarter, Bronny James delivered one of those rare moments with a sequence that had even LaMelo Ball impressed.
Late in the fourth quarter, Bronny was keeping up after a high screeen when he made slight contact with Collin Sexton. The brief nudge was enough to send Sexton flying into the sidelines and onto the floor in momentum, revealing an impressive level of strength for James Jr.: a 6’2″ guard at 210 pounds. Despite not playing a major role, he clearly keeps his body in peak condition, much like his dad, LeBron, who is in his 23rd season.
Lamelo Ball to Bronny James:
“DAMN BRONNY, YOU A STRONG A$$ N*GGA”
😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/HF5QQF3YYM
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) January 16, 2026
Overall, the young guard only played for a minute and a half in the game (1:30), putting up all zeroes while making a minimal impact on the floor. Despite the inconsequential playtime, however, Bronny was still able to show off the work he’s putting in to improve his game and earn a bigger role in the rotation.
Considering his strength, it’s clear that Bronny been in the gym all season, and it has led to several moments like the one against Sexton. With averages of 1.6 points, 0.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.0 blocks per game on 34.2% shooting and 35.0% shooting from three this season, he’ll need to build up more than his strength to secure another NBA contract, but it’s a good place to start that will open up other areas of the game.
Specifically, if Bronny can play with more confidence on the court and turn into a more consistent shooter, he can provide exactly what the Lakers need right now. If he can also hone his defense at the same time, it could be enough for him to overtake Gabe Vincent and slide into that backup point guard role for the Lakers. For now, the plan is to take things slow and let James find his own way.
As it stands, the development process is still very much ongoing for Bronny. At just 21 years old, he’s only in his second season in the NBA. With just 22 NBA games played in 2025-26, his time has been split with the South Bay Lakers as an effort to give more reps and experience on the floor. Only time will tell how the added experience evolves his game, but Bronny has the work ethic to be an impactful player in this league if he can just get out of his own head and play with no strings attached.
