Before the 2024 NBA Draft, Bronny James outlined a clear vision for the type of players that would be benchmarks for him to work towards. The important thing to keep in mind is the time it took for them to truly shine in the league.
"Guys like Davion Mitchell, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White who excel in their role, get good money and get good playing time from it because they’re locked into that role and know what they’re supposed to do," Bronny said of his hopeful NBA player comparisons.
The expectations were set. The results have not gotten him there just yet, and that is perfectly fine. James needs to be afford the grace of time.
Bronny is not the generational talent that his father, LeBron James, was. There were no labels akin to 'The Chosen One' that followed the son of the future Hall of Famer. The Los Angeles Lakers guard can instead aspire to be another story of great player development in the NBA.
The long game could define Bronny James’ true NBA value
Bronny's rookie season in 2024-25 was not defined by an unexpected breakout. His shortcomings, relative to being the son of an NBA legend, even created some uncomfortable discussions that forced LeBron into the mix.
The unfortunate reality for the younger James is that, to some capacity, the Lakers guard will never truly be able to escape his family label. However, that should not be the barometer by which his NBA career should be judged.
Bronny has already displayed encouraging signs of growth that one would want to see from a young player like him. The Lakers even thought James looked good enough at summer league to yank him from the competition before it was fully over for the team.
The verdict was that Bronny had shown them enough for further assessments to be unnecessary before their final game of the competition. That is exactly the type of move that should offer hope to Lakers fans everywhere.
Bronny James in the 25-26 Summer League:
14.3 PPG
2.8 RPG
3.8 APG
48% FG
In 24.3 MPG
How would you grade his performance? pic.twitter.com/4HCtKLyr0R
— LakersMuse (@LALMuse) July 18, 2025
James now finds himself in a position heading into training camp where the young guard can compete for a spot in the 2025-26 rotation. That is a true vote of confidence from the Lakers.
Even if Bronny does spend another season without truly breaking out, that should not be cause for any major concern. The comparisons offered by James should serve as reminders of that.
Holiday and White both took until their fourth seasons in the NBA to really arrive on the scene in the league. The same can be said for Mitchell, who is finally in a comfortable position for his career with the Miami Heat after this past season.
Bronny is about to enter his second year. Lakers fans will be eager to see what the exciting prospect can offer. However, if the history of his desired comparisons tell the story, James will need a bit more time. The 20-year-old has that working in his favor.