Bronny James, Lakers, Pacers
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Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up prior to a game against the Chicago Bulls during the first half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on March 12, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
Second-year guard Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James seemingly trolled Indiana Pacers fans after a dunk during his team’s 137-130 win on Wednesday.
As seen in the clip below, Bronny wagged his tongue toward the Pacers crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse after a statement dunk in the fourth quarter.
Bronny finished with four points, two steals, one rebound and one assist from 13 minutes of action. LeBron James’ son, who has been moving between the G League and the main team recently, played the most minutes in an NBA game since the Feb. 10 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. He received the opportunity due to injuries as the Lakers were without Marcus Smart (ankle), Rui Hachimura (calf) and Deandre Ayton (back).
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Bronny trolling the Pacers after the dunk 😭
Bronny James Praised by Lakers
The second-generation player earned considerable praise for his performance on Wednesday, with head coach JJ Redick emphasizing his growth as a player.
“He’s gotten significantly better,” Redick said of Bronny, via BasketNews.
“Our staff has a lot of confidence in him, and it felt like this was a game we really needed him. It was a game where his athleticism and defense stood out—he had two really good individual defensive possessions in the first half. The biggest thing with him right now is his confidence.
“Even though he didn’t make his three tonight, he has a lot of confidence in his shot. He’s having a fantastic season with South Bay and has arguably been the best player in the last three or four weeks in our stay-ready games every time.”
Lakers Back to Winning Ways
Star guard Luka Doncic, who dropped 43 points in Wednesday’s win, also had a lot of praise for Bronny’s development as a pro.
“Definitely a big improvement from last year. I saw him in training camp, and he was doing some stuff that really impressed me,” Doncic said of Bronny.
“Today, he did a great job. It was a big game for him. That pull-up was a big bucket—probably one of the most important shots of the game.
“They were coming back, and he hit that one. I think he did really great in those minutes.”
With Wednesday’s win, the Lakers returned to winning ways after their nine-game streak was snapped by the Detroit Pistons earlier this week. Redick’s team has a relatively easy schedule coming up, with home fixtures against the tanking Brooklyn Nets (and Washington Wizards on Friday and Monday, respectively. Thereafter, the Lakers face a stern test against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder — two legitimate NBA title contenders — before a visit to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Lakers (47-26) still own a 1.5-game lead over the Denver Nuggets (46-28) for the third seed in the West. If the playoffs were to start today, Redick’s team would face the Houston Rockets (43-29) in the first round.