It’s going to be difficult for Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James to escape the limelight this season, even if he spends much of it with the South Bay Lakers in the G League. That is just part of the territory for the son of one of the greatest players of all time, and his teammate, in LeBron James.
Bronny has already seen significant criticism despite the fact that he is yet to take the floor in an NBA or G League game. There are many who feel he didn’t deserve to be drafted at all, even though the Lakers didn’t take him until the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
So the best, and only, thing for Bronny to do this season os focus on staying true to himself and tuning out whatever criticism he can. Eventually, his game will speak for itself. Until then, Bronny spoke about how he is going to remain himself at Lakers Media Day.
“I just continue to try and be myself every day,” James said. “Doing the things I love since I’ve been a kid and just trying to keep that routine up in being myself.
“But also, taking the time to tune out all the noise and tune out all the people that don’t think I should be here. While also trying to get in the gym, get my work in and keep improving myself every day.”
Tuning out all the noise is virtually impossible. So for what criticism manages to get through to Bronny, he plans to turn that into his motivation to improve every day.
“I feel like it’s just made me into a stronger individual. Taking all that fuel, that criticism and backlash that people have given me and turn it into something they can fuel me and get me in the gym every day.
“I feel like that’s been the most important part of why I’ve been getting better every summer.”
One thing that is absolutely going to help Bronny this season is getting a defined role. That won’t happen until practices really get going, but he has the advantage of already knowing exactly what type of player he wants to be in the NBA.
“I can definitely say that I’m a smart player,” James said of his game. “I’m not going to go in there lost and looking like I don’t know what I’m doing. Being hard-nosed on the defensive end and playing my role in the offense while being able to create a shot for myself,” Bronny said. “I don’t definitely know what my role is going to be this year, so I’m waiting to get into practice and feel it out.”
One impressive thing about Bronny thus far in his NBA career has been how level-headed he remains despite facing an unprecedented amount of criticism for a second-round pick. That’s part of why the Lakers think he will be successful once he has spent time in JJ Redick’s development program.
And if he continues to be himself and not change his identity on or off the floor, there’s no reason he can’t find success at the NBA level.
Bronny James willing to learn in G League
Bronny James spoke at Lakers Media Day and admitted that he knows he won’t be a part of the Lakers rotation right away. He understands and accepts that there are vets above him on the depth chart, but he’s excited to learn from them and in the G League if that’s what the team asks of him.
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