A first season without his father
Bronny James has a new reality to manage. For the first time since he entered the league, LeBron is not in the building. The elder James left Los Angeles in July and signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, closing a chapter that began on Oct. 22, 2024, when the two became the first father-son duo to share an NBA floor.
Speaking at the Lakers’ media day on Monday, Bronny said the move did not come with a long family summit. “We’re men of very little words when it comes to talking about business and what we’re going to do and how we feel about each other,” he said. “So, it wasn’t really much (discussion), to be honest with you.”
He was clear about what he wants from the split. “He’s got his own path, and I got my own,” Bronny said. “You guys know me as Bronny. My real name is LeBron. It’s a motivating factor for me just getting up every day and trying to prove myself as Bronny instead of LeBron.”
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A backup role behind Luka and Reaves
The job description is modest. Bronny, who turns 22 on Oct. 6, is on a $2.3 million guaranteed contract and said his summer work centered on his role as a backup to guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
The Lakers around him have changed a lot. Nine players are new, so the early priority is building a cohesive group rather than defining anyone’s individual story. Doncic, speaking ahead of the team’s first season without LeBron since 2017-18, admitted the departure stung. “It was kind of sad (that he left); playing with LeBron was amazing,” he said. “There’s a lot of things I learned from him.”
The date already marked
One game stands out on the schedule. Bronny said he is looking forward to facing his dad on Christmas Day, when the Lakers meet LeBron’s Sixers. Until then, the work is smaller and quieter: earn minutes, improve his game, and let the résumé build on its own.
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