Coming off his rookie season, Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James is expected to make strides in improvement in his sophomore year. While speaking with Lakers.com’s Mike Trudell, James revealed what the emphasis of his offseason training was this year.
“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 continued. “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’ rookie played in a limited capacity. During the regular season, he only appeared in 20 games for the team. In this span, he showed sparks of potential as a two-way player and perimeter threat.
Although he saw a slow start to the campaign, struggling to cope with pressure and the media spotlight, the second half of the season saw significantly improved performances. The improvement could be attributed to his stint in the G League.
In the NBA, the 20-year-old averaged only 2.3 points while shooting 31.3% overall. In the G League, however, he averaged 21.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game on 44.3% shooting from the field and 38.0% from three-point territory.
James’ growth was also evident in his performances at the Las Vegas Summer League. With greater confidence in orchestrating the offense, increased shot attempts, and improved defensive instincts, the 20-year-old positioned himself to become a solid role player in the NBA.
Heading into his second campaign, James could have a more significant role in the Lakers’ rotation. When considering the focus of his offseason training, the Purple and Gold could look to play him as a secondary playmaker or a corner pocket shooter.
Given that these roles primarily require off-ball skills, James appears to be confident that his current training regimen will have an impact on the development of these skills as well.
The upcoming season could be promising for the young guard. After an underwhelming rookie campaign, he could look to carve out a place for himself in the league. Unfortunately, the opportunity to do so will not be readily available.
This offseason has been an active one for the Lakers. With the front office making some key additions to their roster, James will have to fight for his place in the lineup. Given the expectations of him to earn his place on the roster, however, there is reason to believe that he could be productive.
