![Jul 6, 2024; San Francisco, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James Jr. (9) smiles during the national anthem before the game against the Sacramento Kings. ]at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_433,w_5184,h_2916/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ReutersImages/mmsport/20/01m3n2wakdjdcmk0j0v8.jpg "Jul 6, 2024; San Francisco, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James Jr. (9) smiles during the national anthem before the game against the Sacramento Kings. ]at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports")
There is only one LeBron James left on the Los Angeles Lakers for 2026-2, and that would be Junior. With his dad gone, and Bronny James still employed by the Lakers, the conversations of nepotism can be quieted. The young guard can lay claim to an NBA spot on his own merit.
Bronny joined the Spectrum SportsNet desk at Lakers Media Day, and questions about no longer being teammates with his father were bound to come up. The younger of the two James in the NBA had the perfect response for how he is approaching the change in his environment.
"I'm excited for the experience, to experience something different, him not being here. [Excited] to see how the staff treats me without him being there, and all my teammates and stuff like that."
Bronny has been forced to try and carve out a basketball career in the shadow of whom most consider to be the greatest player of all time. That cannot be easy. There appears to be a genuine desire to stand on his own feet and earn everything he gets.
Bronny James is ready to carve out a spot that has nothing to do with LeBron
When James was taken with the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, there was a remarkable outcry against the selection. For any other late second-round draftee, that would have been an odd experience. For Bronny, it was closer to par for the course.
A rough freshman season at USC convinced the loudest of haters that James did not deserve to be in the NBA. The conversation of how his cardiac arrest hurt him in that campaign was ignored. Who needs context?
For a 55th overall pick, there have certainly been far worse gambles on talent throughout NBA history than James. The Lakers made their bet on Bronny. Two years later, it looks more than fair to have done so.
James has shown several NBA-level traits, headlined by his defense and energy on that end. His shot has improved in two years with the South Bay Lakers. Bronny now finds himself trying to fine-tune the remaining areas of his game that could get him into the rotation in Los Angeles.
There is a known effort there, too. It has long been talked about around here that James needs to improve on his decision-making to not have JJ Redick yank him during moments of frustration. Bronny admitted to working on just that at Lakers Media Day.
Not having LeBron around eliminates a security blanket. However, it also creates opportunity for Bronny. Everything done from here will be defined by what James does for himself. There is clear excitement in that thought for the second-generation hooper.
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