Bronny James is eager to improve.
This upcoming season will be a critical one for Bronny James and looking ahead to, he's shown a keen understanding of his role as a player and where his goals are to be better and be a real impact for the Los Angeles Lakers coming off the bench.
James saw his usage go way up last season compared to his rookie year, playing 42 games at the NBA level and playing 8.9 minutes per game and if that trend continues, James could find himself playing meaningful minutes for them Lakers this season.
With those minutes will come a bigger responsibility and in a recent television interview, James shared his thoughts about his potential role next season and where he thinks he can be effective for the Lakers, especially playing in the backcourt alongside standouts like Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) loses control of the ball as Houston Rockets guard Josh Okogie (20) defends during the third quarter during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Troy Taormina-Imagn ImagesPlaying with Stars
"I’m trying to get better, playing with Luka and AR [Reaves] still, so I’m gonna be off-ball when it’s needed," James said. "I need to be able to knock down shots and create for others, and I think I’ve been doing a good job with that this summer."
Any guard on a team with Doncic and Reaves has to now that the backcourt is going to be crowded, so that awareness is a good step one for James.
Los Angeles Lakers guardBronnyJames(9) reacts after scoring a basket during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Troy Taormina-Imagn ImagesHe has the tools to be an effective off-ball creator with athleticism to get to his spots and an above-average sense of court vision that helps him connect with teammates for big plays, something that happened a handful of times between James and his father, LeBron James, last season.
James added that he "prides himself in being an all-round player" and that he's confident in his ability to be a creator, ball-handler or work in catch-and-shoot or pick-and-roll situations.
How He Can Help the Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) dribbles the ball against Houston Rockets guard Aaron Holiday (0) in the first half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesHe's shown himself to be efficient in the past. James shot over 40% from the field last season and 38.6% from three and that efficiency is a good indication of where his skillset can lead him, especially if he can work with the gravity of Doncic and Reaves to find himself open looks on the floor.
Now is the time for James to prove that he wasn't simply drafted as a favor to his father when the pair were teammates and this offseason has already been one of growth and connection for him alongside his new teammates.
James has the tools to be an impactful player at his disposal and with the understanding of his role and how those tools can best help the team, he has a chance to truly assert himself as a player going forward.
