The Los Angeles Lakers‘ controversial investment in Bronny James seems to be paying off. The 20-year-old guard was drafted with the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, with many criticizing the Lakers for selecting him because his father, LeBron James, was on the team. While the Lakers got many first-ever moments of a father and son together in Bronny’s rookie year, he was clearly not ready to contribute at the NBA level.
Bronny averaged 2.3 points on 28.1% shooting from three in 27 games as a rookie in the NBA, with many dismissing him already as just someone trying to make a career of his father. However, Bronny is consistently shutting those critics up this season after taking a clear jump on the court.
He’s averaging 2.1 points and 1.1 assists as a 41.9% three-point shooter in limited minutes over 34 games in his second season, still as an end-of-the-bench player on the roster. He’s getting more run than he did as a rookie, including in the team’s 116-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets (4 MIN, 3 PTS), where he made history alongside his father. LeBron assisted Bronny on his sole three-pointer in the second quarter of the game, the first recorded assist from a father to a son.
Less than 24 hours later, the Lakers sent Bronny on a G League assignment to the South Bay Lakers for their win over the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Bronny dominated once again in the G League, putting up 26 points and seven rebounds on 9-12 field goal shooting and 6-8 three-point shooting, as South Bay has gone 14-0 when he’s played for the team this season.
— @MindOfBron (@FunKneeBone) March 29, 2026
Bronny is averaging 15.6 points on 45.6% from three on 4.9 attempts per game, while also pulling down 3.1 rebounds and dishing 3.7 assists per game in the G League this season. While his counting stats are down, it’s because of his reduced usage and deployment as a 3-and-D contributor with ball-handling skills.
He’s proving that he’s outgrowing the G, and the best path forward for his development will be NBA minutes. However, with the Lakers in a standings battle where one bad week could mean falling to No. 6 in the West, it’s unlikely the franchise can consistently give Bronny the on-court reps he needs to close the season out.
If Marcus Smart continues to miss time, there are chances that Bronny gets matchup-specific minutes, especially against tanking teams, as he got against the Nets and Pacers recently. He played a key role in the Lakers’ sparking a 9-0 run in the second quarter of the win over Brooklyn, as the Lakers were in a slugfest until a fourth-quarter run helped them pick up a nearly 20-point win.
Bronny might have rightfully already usurped 2024 first-round pick Dalton Knecht in the rotation after Knecht’s rough sophomore season. It’s too bold to place any expectations on Bronny this season, especially in terms of Playoff minutes. However, the guard is on the second year of a four-year deal, so the Lakers have some more time to season him.
There are genuine questions over whether LeBron will stay a Laker after this summer. Not only is the team now focusing on building around Luka Doncic, but there’s also reported interest from the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors in James services from a historic 24th NBA season. But even if LeBron leaves, it doesn’t look like the Lakers will just let Bronny go after seeing him make the developmental strides he has in the last two seasons.
Bronny’s performances are proving that he deserves his spot in the NBA beyond his famous last name. That will be put to the test next season, especially if LeBron leaves the Lakers. Given what LeBron has seen as well, it’s unlikely he’d want to ruin his son’s forward progress and demand he be traded to his next destination. We might finally see what Bronny looks like independent of LeBron next season, and Bronny’s performances this season have shown that the Lakers should continue taking chances on him.
