Bronny James enters Year 2 of his NBA career with hopes that he can crack the Lakers’ rotation. After a rookie campaign that saw him appear in just 27 games and a total of 181 minutes as he spent majority of his time in the G League, it’s going to be tall task for James to reach that goal, but Lakers coach JJ Redick knows he can get there.
“The biggest thing for Bronny is that he has to get in elite shape,” Redick said via ESPN. “That’s the barrier of entry for him right now. And if he does that, I think he’s got a chance to be a really fantastic player in the NBA.”
But it’s more than that, as Redick used examples of TJ McConnell and Davion Mitchell as the types of player James could become as he develops.
“On every single possession, they’re in the game — whether that’s offensively or defensively — they’re able to impact it with how hard they play,” Redick said. “With the defensive pickup points, the disruption, being able to get downhill … I think we have all seen these amazing flashes of it from Bronny. And to get to that next level for him, it’s cardio fitness.”
McConnell became a bit of a household name during the Pacers surprising run to the NBA Finals last season. He often was the X-factor in some games, using that relentless motor on defense to make plays, whether that be getting deflections, putting his body on the line for an offensive foul or simply mucking things up enough to frustrate the other team. Despite being just 6’1″, McConnell manages to play way above his size because of his effort on both sides of the ball. Offensively against the Thunder, he somehow managed to put up 18 points in Game 5 of the Finals despite OKC possessing a size advantage that would typically bother a small guard like McConnell.
Mitchell similarly has garnered a reputation for being a defensive pest. He’s managed to hold his own against bigger guards like Luka Doncic even though he stands at just 6’2″. Mitchell’s frame is similar to that of James, and is certainly the prototype of player he could become at some point. Mitchell is a far better shooter than James at this point, but towards the end of the G League season, James began to round into form and found his rhythm.
But all of this will depend on how far James can physically push himself, which has been a journey ever since he went into cardiac arrest in July of 2023 stemming from a congenital heart defect that required surgery.
“I get kind of sick easier now,” said James, who’ll be 21 when the season starts. “Which is kind of weird, but I think it messed with my immune system a little bit. So, I would have times where I have to sit out, and that conditioning that I’m working on just goes away in that week of me being out.”
It limited James’ playing time at USC, though he managed to work his way back and push through to become an NBA draft pick in 2024. His progression ebbs and flows, but he certainly has the support of Redick and the rest of the Lakers.
“He’s cleared,” Redick said. “… I get that there’s a history there of a really scary thing that he had to live through, and I think it’s tough to push past certain points for him, but he’s going to get there. He’s going to get there.”