As Bronny James prepares for his second year in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers, the 19-year-old guard is making it clear: he’s embracing the grind.
After a quiet rookie season with the Lakers, James is back on the court this week for NBA Summer League action.
And this time around, he says his mindset and preparation are far more focused and mature.
“So that’s my main focus, probably why I’m getting a little leaner,” James said in an interview with The Los Angeles Times.
“But I still got 215 [pounds] on me still. So, I’m just running a lot, getting a lot of conditioning in. And then just staying on top of my diet, eating healthy, being a professional.”
James only appeared in 27 games for the Lakers last season, averaging 2.3 points per contest with limited minutes.
Most of his development took place in the G League, where he saw a major uptick in opportunity and responded by averaging 21.9 points per game. Now, he’s trying to carry that momentum into Summer League and beyond.
Defense and discipline driving Year 2
Even as his offensive skills evolve, James knows exactly what it will take to earn meaningful minutes on an NBA floor, defense.
“I can’t lose that defensive drive that will get me on the floor because there’s gonna be guys that can score 15, 20 a game,” he said.
“I’m most likely not going to be that guy right now. To get myself on the floor, I’ve got to be a defensive menace.”
That kind of self-awareness is part of what has impressed Lakers coaches, who have praised his work ethic and willingness to embrace the team’s needs.
James echoed that by saying his biggest leap won’t be just in his jump shot or ball handling, but in his fitness and focus.
“It’s just Year 2, so I gotta lock in on the things that I didn’t know before my rookie year and being better and excel with that,” James said.
“Yeah, my main focus is this year, or this summer, has been being in elite condition. That’s what I’ve been talking to my coaches about.”
Playing with his father, LeBron James, who is entering his 23rd NBA season, has given Bronny a front-row seat to what sustained excellence looks like.
The younger James is taking notes, and his summer priorities reflect that.
He’s not promising a breakout season, but he is promising progress – starting with the defensive identity that first got him noticed at USC and in his pre-draft workouts.
James will take the floor this week in Summer League, where fans will get their latest glimpse at how much he’s developed since joining the Lakers.
With his focus narrowed and conditioning ramped up, Bronny’s sophomore campaign may tell us more about his long-term NBA potential than anything he did as a rookie.
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