Without a doubt the most promising development from the Los Angeles Lakers Summer League was the play of Bronny James. The guard looked far more comfortable than he did last year and the growth and development that he has undergone since being drafted was obvious.
There remains an immense amount of pressure on Bronny due to him playing on the Lakers alongside his father LeBron James, but he has undoubtedly shown flashes of being an NBA rotation player. And Lakers head coach JJ Redick believes players such as Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell and Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell are the types of players Bronny should be looking to emulate in order to have a long career, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN:
“The biggest thing for Bronny is that he has to get in elite shape,” Redick told ESPN. “That’s the barrier of entry for him right now. And if he does that, I think he’s got a chance to be a really fantastic player in the NBA.”
Redick points to the 6-2, 205-pound Davion Mitchell of the Miami Heat or his friend and former teammate, the 6-1, 190-pound T.J. McConnell of the Indiana Pacers, as examples of the type of game changer James can become. But part of their skill sets is a two-way relentlessness that requires tremendous stamina, a physical output James has not sustained.
“On every single possession, they’re in the game — whether that’s offensively or defensively — they’re able to impact it with how hard they play,” Redick said. “With the defensive pickup points, the disruption, being able to get downhill … I think we have all seen these amazing flashes of it from Bronny. And to get to that next level for him, it’s cardio fitness.
“He’s cleared. … I get that there’s a history there of a really scary thing that he had to live through, and I think it’s tough to push past certain points for him, but he’s going to get there. He’s going to get there.”
Both McConnell and Mitchell are undersized and not the most skilled players but are absolutely relentless on both ends of the court, giving maximum effort every second they’re on the floor. Bronny has the physical tools and, like Redick noted, if he can get into elite shape, has the ability to make that type of impact for the Lakers.
James being a regular part of the Lakers’ rotation in his second season still seems like a bit of a long shot, but his potential as a point of attack defender does give him a shot if he continues to grow and develop. Players like Mitchell and McConnell may not be superstars, but they have long careers and become beloved players as McConnell is in Indiana and Mitchell is on his way to becoming in Miami.
Lakers’ Bronny James has added ‘significant muscle’ since being drafted
In addition to getting into elite shape, Bronny James also felt he needed to add some muscle to his frame in order to being able to withstand the physicality of the NBA game, and the Lakers guard has done just that, looking significantly bigger since being drafted in 2024.
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