Bronny James will officially take part in the 2025 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas as the Los Angeles Lakers‘ prospect continues to work on developing his game within the organization.
The 20-year-old son of LeBron James faced a tough start to life as a professional basketballer, largely spent on the sidelines as he averaged just 2.3 points per game on shooting splits of .313 from the field, .281 from three, and .786 from the free throw line across 27 appearances.
He also contributed 0.8 assists and 0.7 rebounds per contest in limited minutes as JJ Redick, the team’s head coach, opted to use him sparingly to protect him from media scrutiny.
Although he became half of the first father-son duo to play simultaneously in the NBA and on the same team, he was eventually sent to the G League development series with the South Bay Lakers to continue to find his groove.
There, it worked well for him as he delivered averages of 21.9 points per game while shooting .443 from the field, as well as 5.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.9 steals per contest-numbers that suggest considerable upside when given consistent minutes.
That earned him the backing of the Lakers’ coaching staff, despite claims of nepotism following his second-round pick in 2024, as the organization appears committed to his long-term development.
In part of that quest to up his game, he will play in the Summer League as per Marc Stein, offering a critical stage for to showcase his talent and to prove his worth; particularly as he continues working toward a more prominent role on the main roster.
Mavericks vs Lakers already attracting eyes: Cooper Flagg vs Bronny James
James is expected to draw significant attention when the Lakers take the court against the Dallas Mavericks in their first Summer League game on July 10 as he could come up against the 2025 overall first pick, Cooper Flagg.
The 18-year-old is tipped as Luka Doncic’s long-term replacement at the American Airlines Center and that means the game is likely to be one of the most anticipated of the series, beginning at 20:00 ET/17:00 PT.
For Bronny, the 2025 Summer League may be a turning point. After a limited NBA debut and strong G League campaign, he will aim to demonstrate improved decision-making, shooting consistency, and defensive versatility.
Should his upward trend continue, James could soon earn a more consistent place in the Lakers‘ regular-season rotation. For now, all eyes will be on Las Vegas as he takes the floor in a new season of growth and opportunity.
Whilst he will play alongside his father for at least one more year as LeBron commits to the Lakers for the 2025/26 NBA season, in his quest to bring a first championship since 2020 to the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
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