The Los Angeles Lakers (43-25) are less than one month away from the end of their regular season. In all likelihood, that will also mark the end of shooting guard Bronny James‘ rookie campaign, as the 20-year-old isn’t expected to see any playing time for the Lakers in the playoffs.
The oldest son of superstar LeBron James recently discussed his first taste of the NBA with Joe Vardon of The Athletic and revealed how he’s dealt with criticism from fans. King James has said from the start of the USC product’s professional career that the youngster “does not care” about harsh feedback and the constant cries of nepotism.
After arriving at USC ranked 20th in the 2023 ESPN 100 rankings and as the sixth-rated point guard, Bronny suffered a cardiac arrest during a July 2023 practice. He made his way back onto the court in late 2023 and was medically cleared in November that year, but he averaged only 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 19.3 minutes per game across 25 contests (six starts) while recording a .366/.267/.676 shooting line.
Despite the meager numbers, Los Angeles then unsurprisingly selected the younger James with the 55th overall pick during the 2024 NBA Draft in late June.
He revealed to Vardon that he doesn’t, in fact, ignore the flow of criticism, like his four-time MVP father said.
Bronny James: ‘People Think, Like, I’m a F—— Robot’
Bronny — who played a season-high 16 minutes and recorded a +8 plus-minus during the Lakers’ 131-126 road loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday — told the senior NBA insider that he uses the negative comments he receives as motivation.
“Throughout Bronny’s brief pro career, his father had always said that Bronny tunes out or doesn’t hear the critics — he keeps his head down, focuses on the game and so on. But in our conversation Bronny said, multiple times, he actually does hear some of what is said about him, and he uses it to his advantage,” Vardon wrote.
“‘My first thought about everything is I always try to just let it go through one ear and out the other, put my head down and come to work and be positive every day,’” Bronny said, according to the insider. “‘But sometimes it just, it fuels me a little bit. I see everything that people are saying, and people think, like, I’m a f—— robot, like I don’t have any feelings or emotions.’”
The former Trojan further explained how he takes advantage of the naysayers’ words.
“But I just take that and use it as fuel for me to go out, wake up every day and get to the gym early, get my extra work in, watch my extra film every day, get better every day,” Bronny said. “That’s what (general manager Rob Pelinka) wants me to do as a young guy, coming in, playing in the G League and learning from far on the bench watching the Lakers play.”
Rookie’s Seen Slight Bump in Playing Time Recently
After playing three minutes in the Lakers’ season-opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 22 and appearing in two contests that month, Bronny suited up for just four of the team’s 13 November games and one of the group’s 13 December tilts. Amid multiple promotions and demotions to and from the G League, he finally saw a boost in action with the Lakers after the calendar flipped to 2025.
Bronny played in seven of Los Angeles’ 12 January games (including 15 minutes on January 28 against the Philadelphia 76ers and 12 minutes on January 30 against the Washington Wizards). Then he played in three of the Lakers’ 11 February contests but has seen the floor in four of the team’s nine games in March, including three of the last four.
Unfortunately for the James family, Bronny’s most recent three appearances have come during LBJ’s ongoing absence due to a left groin strain.
Overall, the rookie guard has gone 10-for-38 (26.3%) from the field, including 5-for-22 (22.7%) on three-point field goal attempts across 21 games covering 98 minutes (4.7 minutes per contest) with the Lakers this season and hit eight of his 11 free throw attempts for 33 total points. Bronny has added 10 rebounds, eight assists, five steals, two blocks, six turnovers and six personal fouls during his brief action with Los Angeles.
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