Bronny James is entering an important stage of his young NBA career.
The Los Angeles Lakers guard showed some encouraging progress during his second NBA season, even though he still struggled to establish himself as a regular part of the rotation. His shooting improved considerably, his defensive instincts continued to stand out and he showed flashes of the passing feel that made him an interesting prospect in the first place.
Now, however, the challenge is getting bigger.
The 2026-27 season represents the first time Bronny will play an NBA season without his father, LeBron James, as his teammate. That creates a different environment for the young guard and gives him an opportunity to begin building an identity that is more clearly his own.
Bronny has never had the luxury of developing away from enormous attention. From the moment he entered the professional basketball conversation, his last name became one of the biggest parts of the story.
He understands that.
But at Lakers Media Day, he made it clear that his motivation is now about creating his own career and proving himself as Bronny.
Bronny James Showed Progress Last Season
Bronny’s second NBA season brought some important statistical improvements.
His three-point shooting jumped from 28.1% in the 2024-25 season to 38.6% last season.
That is a major improvement for a young guard whose ability to space the floor could determine how consistently he can stay on the court.
He also improved his two-point shooting.
Bronny went from shooting 34.3% on two-point attempts in his rookie season to 43.1% in his second year.
Those numbers do not tell the entire story, but they do show that his offensive game moved in the right direction.
He also continued to show some promising qualities that do not always appear clearly in a basic box score.
His feel for the game, on-ball defense and connective passing remained areas where he showed potential.
The next step is turning those flashes into something dependable.
His Shooting Is One of the Biggest Questions
For Bronny to become a regular NBA rotation player, his outside shot could be extremely important.
At 6-foot-2, he does not have the size of a traditional wing. That makes offensive efficiency even more important.
If defenses can ignore him around the perimeter, it becomes harder for him to stay on the floor.
But if the 38.6% three-point shooting from last season proves to be sustainable, the situation changes.
A reliable outside shot would force defenders to stay closer to him. That can create driving lanes and give the Lakers another way to use his offensive skill set.
The key word is consistency.
One improved season is encouraging, but Bronny now needs to show that his shooting improvement was not simply a temporary jump.
That will be one of the major things to watch throughout the 2026-27 season.
Bronny Needs to Attack Closeouts More
Another area of development is what happens when defenders run toward him after he receives the ball.
If Bronny becomes a legitimate shooter, opponents will have to close out more aggressively.
That can create opportunities.
Instead of simply catching and shooting, he can attack the defender’s momentum, get into the paint and either finish or create a play for a teammate.
Developing that part of his game could make his shooting threat even more valuable.
The Lakers do not necessarily need Bronny to become a primary ball-handler.
Instead, they can look for ways to use him as an off-ball guard who moves intelligently, spaces the floor and attacks the defense when an opportunity appears.
That could fit his current skill set better.
LeBron James Is No Longer His Teammate
Perhaps the biggest change for Bronny this season is not a statistical one.
It is the absence of his father from the Lakers.
For the first time in his NBA career, Bronny will have to navigate a full season without LeBron James standing beside him as a teammate.
LeBron has been one of the biggest influences on Bronny’s basketball life, but his presence has also made it almost impossible for the younger James to avoid comparisons.
Bronny knows that.
At Media Day, he talked about wanting to create his own path and career.
He explained that the desire to prove himself as Bronny motivates him to get up every day, work hard and learn from players who have been in the league longer than him.
That mindset could become increasingly important as he moves deeper into his career.
Bronny Wants to Be Known as Bronny
There is a simple but important distinction in Bronny’s comments.
He knows people call him Bronny, while his real name is LeBron.
For most of his life, that name has been connected to one of the most famous athletes in the world.
That connection will never completely disappear.
But Bronny appears to want people to judge him based on his own basketball career.
That does not mean he is trying to distance himself from his father.
Instead, it appears to be about establishing his own identity.
Every young player wants to know what he can become. For Bronny, that process happens under a much brighter spotlight than it does for most players.
His challenge is learning to use that attention without allowing it to define him.
A Difficult Path for a 6-Foot-2 Guard
There is no denying that Bronny has a difficult basketball challenge ahead.
At 6-foot-2, he is a smaller guard.
He has also faced questions about his ability to create offense off the dribble and score consistently inside.
That combination means his path to a full-time NBA rotation is not necessarily straightforward.
Smaller guards often need to provide reliable offensive production because they can give up size on defense.
Bronny has another advantage, though.
His defensive potential gives him a skill that could help him remain useful even when his shot is not falling.
He has shown promise as an on-ball defender, and that could be particularly valuable for the Lakers.
The Lakers Need Point-of-Attack Defense
One reason Bronny could have an opportunity is the Lakers’ need for players who can defend opposing ball-handlers.
Point-of-attack defense can be exhausting, especially against quick guards who control the offense.
A young player willing to take on that responsibility can provide real value.
Bronny has shown enough defensive promise to make this part of his game worth watching.
If he can become someone the Lakers trust to pressure guards, fight through screens and stay in front of opposing creators, he could carve out a role even without being a major scorer.
The more reliable his shooting becomes, the more valuable that defensive ability could be.
Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves Could Help His Game
The Lakers have another advantage when it comes to using Bronny.
Their offense is built around bigger creators such as Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.
That means Bronny does not necessarily need to spend large portions of the game bringing the ball up and creating everything himself.
He can work away from the ball.
That is an area he reportedly focused on during the offseason.
Playing alongside bigger initiators can allow Bronny to find open spaces, relocate after passes and attack defenses that are already moving.
It also gives him opportunities to contribute without forcing him into a role that may not fit his current strengths.
For a developing guard, that can be a useful situation.
His Passing Feel Is Another Positive
Bronny’s passing does not always receive as much attention as his shooting or defense, but it is another part of his game that could help him.
He has shown some feel as a connective passer.
That means he does not necessarily need to dominate the ball to contribute offensively.
He can make the extra pass, keep possessions moving and help the offense reach its next action.
Those small plays can be valuable on a team with multiple players who already handle the ball.
If Bronny becomes comfortable making quick decisions, he can become more difficult for defenses to ignore.
The Goal Is Not to Become LeBron
There is perhaps no more obvious pressure facing Bronny than the comparison to his father.
LeBron James is one of the greatest basketball players ever.
Trying to follow that career would be unrealistic for almost anyone.
Bronny’s goal, however, appears to be different.
He is trying to establish himself as his own player.
That means finding the things he can do well and building around them.
His defensive ability, shooting development, passing feel and willingness to play without the ball can all become part of that identity.
He does not need to replicate his father’s game.
He needs to build his own.
The Importance of the 2026-27 Season
This season could be a significant one for Bronny because expectations are changing.
During his rookie season, there was always an element of learning and adjustment.
After showing improvement in his second year, the next question becomes whether he can take another step.
Can he shoot consistently?
Can he attack closeouts?
Can he defend NBA guards for meaningful stretches?
Can he become reliable enough for the coaching staff to trust him with regular minutes?
Those questions will shape his future in Los Angeles.
Bronny’s Best Route to a Regular Role
The easiest path for Bronny may not involve becoming a high-volume scorer.
Instead, he could build a role around several dependable skills.
First, he needs to maintain his improved three-point shooting.
Second, he needs to continue defending at the point of attack.
Third, he needs to become more comfortable attacking closeouts.
And finally, he needs to remain effective without the ball.
If he can combine those areas, he could become a useful bench guard.
The Lakers already have bigger players capable of creating offense, which could allow Bronny to focus on doing the things that make him valuable.
A Fresh Start Without His Father
There is an interesting element to Bronny’s situation this season.
For years, every step of his basketball journey has been connected to LeBron.
Now, for the first time in the NBA, he will have an entire season without his father as a teammate.
That could feel strange at first.
It could also be liberating.
Bronny will still have the James name, but his day-to-day NBA experience will no longer involve sharing the court with LeBron.
That gives him an opportunity to develop his own habits, relationships and reputation inside the league.
What Comes Next for Bronny James?
Bronny James still has plenty to prove.
His improved shooting is a good sign, but one season does not guarantee long-term success.
His defensive ability gives him another path to earning minutes, while his passing and off-ball development could help him fit alongside the Lakers’ larger creators.
The biggest part of his next step may be consistency.
If the three-point shooting remains strong, if he becomes more confident attacking closeouts and if his defense continues to develop, his chances of becoming a dependable NBA rotation player will improve.
More than anything, Bronny wants to be judged on his own work.
He knows his father’s name will always be part of his story. That is something he cannot change.
What he can control is how he plays, how hard he works and what kind of player he becomes.
The 2026-27 season gives him another chance to answer those questions.
For Bronny James, the goal is no longer simply to reach the NBA. He has already done that.
Now the challenge is to stay there, earn his minutes and create a career that belongs to him.
And perhaps that is the most important part of his journey.
He does not have to be the next LeBron James.
He simply has to become Bronny James.