Bronny James Finds It ‘Weird’ Being an OG Laker After Father LeBron James Left

Bronny James admitted that it feels “weird” to be one of the longer-tenured players on the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bronny James Finds It ‘Weird’ Being an OG Laker After Father LeBron James Left

LeBron James and Bronny James (Image credits - Bleacher Report)

Bronny James will be heading into his third season in the NBA. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers as the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA draft. It may be just his third season with the Lakers, but he is already one of the longest-tenured players in the franchise.

However, the 2026-27 campaign will be a lot different for Bronny. It will be the first season without his father, LeBron James, by his side. Along with Dalton Knecht, Bronny ranks third among the longest-tenured players in the current Lakers player pool.

Austin Reaves leads the shortlist. The Lakers guard will be heading into his sixth season with the purple and gold. Jarred Vanderbilt is the second longest-serving member of the roster, as he joined the team in the middle of the 2022-3 campaign.

During his appearance on Mason & Ireland of ESPN LA, Bronny was asked how it feels to be one of the OG Lakers.

I was thinking about that. It’s crazy. I’m like, I got a bigger voice in the gym right now, and it kind of feels weird.

Bronny James on ESPN LA

The Lakers have made a number of changes to their roster since LeBron James‘ departure. With LeBron signing with the Philadelphia 76ers in the summer, the Lakers have officially entered a new era, and Bronny will be a part of it.

Bronny and LeBron became the first father-son duo to play together in the NBA. They created several historic moments last season and also became the first father-to-son assist in NBA history, just to name a few.

With Luka Doncic injured during the playoffs, Bronny saw some extra minutes and had some memorable moments playing alongside the King. Unfortunately, there won’t be any such moments next season.

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LeBron James’ exit from the Lakers could be great for Bronny James

Things have not been easy for Bronny James since entering the NBA. He struggled for minutes in his second season, and critics believed he wasn’t cut out for the highest level. He averaged just 2.9 points in 42 appearances last season.

LeBron James and Bronny James
LeBron James and Bronny James
(Image credits – Sky Sports)

However, former NBA champion Matt Barnes believes that LeBron’s departure from the Lakers could be the best thing for Bronny’s career.

A lot of people wanna say his dad got him drafted, and that may be true, may not be true. But Bronny has a lot of talent. I think it’s great now that obviously Bron is gone and Bronny is kinda on his own. I think that’s something that he was kinda looking forward to, to kinda just say, ‘Hey, I can do this without my dad.’

Matt Barnes on TMZ Sports

No matter how much Bronny achieves in his career, he will always be in LeBron’s shadow. LeBron has cemented himself as one of the greatest players to ever play the game.

Meanwhile, Bronny is yet to take the next step in his career. But Barnes believes that without LeBron by his side, Bronny will have to navigate his development without his father beside him every day, and that could work out very well for him heading forward.

Bronny James prides himself on being an all-round player

Bronny has been praised for his perimeter defense since his high school days. However, he will be expected to show significant improvements on the other end of the floor next season. While there is no doubt that Luka Doncic is the centerpiece of the team as the roster is built around him, Bronny will need to be more of a catch-and-shoot type of player whenever on the floor.

When asked what aspect of his game he focused on improving this summer, Bronny said he wanted to be an all-around player.

All across the board. I’m trying to get better, playing with Luka and AR still, so I’m gonna be off-ball when it’s needed. I need to be able to knock down shots and create for others. I feel like I can be a secondary ballhandler to Luka and AR and generate whatever offense in catch-and-shoot, and pick-and-roll offense. I just pride myself in being an all-round player.

Bronny James on ESPN LA

The 2026-27 campaign is going to be an important season in Bronny’s career. It will be interesting to see how much his game has developed and how he will perform without LeBron by his side when it matters the most.

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