Bronny James is focusing on establishing his own professional identity with the Los Angeles Lakers following the departure of his father, LeBron James, to the Philadelphia 76ers. The 21-year-old guard addressed reporters on Monday (28) during the franchise’s annual Media Day at their training facility in El Segundo, California, as preparations began for his third season in the NBA.
Entering the 2026/27 campaign on a guaranteed contract of $2.3 million, Bronny explained that stepping out from the shadow of the league’s all-time leading scorer serves as his primary daily motivation. He stated that both players understood the need to pursue separate career paths without lingering tension or unresolved frustration.
“You guys know me as Bronny. My real name is LeBron. I’ve been doing this for however long. It’s a motivating factor for me just getting up every day and trying to prove myself as Bronny instead of LeBron,” he said. He added that direct conversations about free agency were brief: “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. It wasn’t really much, to be honest with you. He’s got his own path and I’ve got my own, so he knows that I want to make a name for myself and want to continue my career and keep growing as a player, and he knows I’ll want to focus on that, so he decided to (move).”
Bronny James and his rotational role in the Lakers backcourt
During the 2025/26 campaign, the young guard appeared in 42 regular-season games for Los Angeles, averaging 2.9 points per contest, and subsequently logged action in eight playoff games. Lakers head coach JJ Redick intends to integrate Bronny into the backcourt rotation primarily as a secondary ball-handler and perimeter defender behind starting guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
The Los Angeles roster underwent adjustments over the summer, shifting offensive responsibilities heavily toward Doncic while leaving complementary minutes available for younger perimeter assets during the upcoming 82-game schedule.
Key figures and schedule for Bronny James in the 2026/27 season
- $2.3 million: guaranteed salary for Bronny James with Los Angeles for the 2026/27 season
- $8 million: total value of the two-year contract signed by LeBron James with Philadelphia in July 2026
- October 6, 2026: date Bronny James celebrates his 22nd birthday
- October 20, 2026: start of the 2026/27 NBA regular season
- December 25, 2026: Los Angeles Lakers host the Philadelphia 76ers in the annual Christmas Day game
LeBron James departure and the Christmas Day matchup
LeBron James concluded an eight-year tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers that began in 2018, a stretch that included the 2020 NBA championship and the inaugural NBA Cup title. At 41 years of age, he enters his 24th NBA season as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers after completing the free-agent transition during the offseason.
The father and son are scheduled to meet on the court as opponents for the first time on December 25, 2026, when Philadelphia travels to California. “Happy for him, and excited for where their season goes. I’m excited to see him on Christmas, excited to play against him on Christmas. It’s going to be good,” Bronny stated.
Pending rotation decisions under JJ Redick
The exact distribution of Bronny’s regular-season minutes and whether he will serve as the immediate primary backup guard or alternate assignments remains subject to performance evaluations throughout training camp in El Segundo.