Bronny James needs to step it up if he wants out of dad LeBrons shadow

The preseason has been an exciting time for the Lakers. Several players are exceeding expectations.Everyone is bragging that the defense will be better than anticipated.

One practice was so physical that Lakers coach JJ Redick had to alter the drills. But there’s one player in particular who has quietly struggled amid the outpouring of yellow-and-purple-streaked optimism. Bronny James hasn’t played to his potential this preseason. He’s averaging only 2.8 points on 26.7% shooting and 3.3 assists in 17.5 minutes per game over four contests. He hasn’t been playing like the player who turned heads with 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting (2-for-4 from beyond the arc), five assists and three rebounds against the Bulls when he was a rookie in March 2025. You know, the player whom Lakers coach JJ Redick said was a few tweaks away from becoming impactful.“I think the next step is just becoming like an elite-conditioned athlete,” Redick said in March 2025.

“Because when he does that, with his physical tools and just his burst and his handle, we think he’s going to be an above-average to really good NBA shooter.He’s going to have a chance to really make an impact.” He definitely hasn’t been playing like the player who earned playoff minutes for the Lakers last season against the Rockets. Bronny will be entering his third season in the NBA.

He’s the third-longest tenured Laker.  The Lakers need more from him.So far this preseason, Bronny has more turnovers (12) than points (11).

It’s no secret that things have changed for Bronny since LeBron James left the Lakers for the 76ers in free agency.Bronny is no longer sharing the locker room with his superstar father.The 55th pick in the 2024 NBA draft has to stand on his own two feet. It’s something that excites him. “He’s got his own path and I got my own,” Bronny said at Lakers media day last month.

“So he knows that I want to make a name for myself and continue my career and keep gr...