New jerseys, bright lights, and the same few questions on repeat. This year, inside the UCLA Health Training Center, one chair at the podium carried more weight than the rest. Bronny James is starting his third season in Los Angeles.
For the first time, his father will not be in the locker room beside him. LeBron James left for the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency this summer. Speaking at the Lakers' training complex on Monday, Bronny addressed the name he has carried since childhood.
ClutchPoints shared the moment on X: "You guys know me as Bronny. I've been doing this for however long, so I think it's a motivating factor for me just getting up every day and trying to prove myself as Bronny instead of LeBron," Bronny said. Reporter Jordan Richard posted a clip on X from the Lakers' first practice of camp, and it put a picture to what Bronny said at the podium.
He was the last player to leave the gym after practice. The building feels different without LeBron around, and Bronny admitted as much. The two teams meet in LA on Christmas Day, but his focus sits on the job in front of him.
That job starts with the minutes he earned last season. Bronny played 42 games and averaged 2.9 points in under nine a night. He shot 38.6% from three, a clear jump from year one.
Minutes will still be tough to find. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves run the backcourt, and the roster is crowded. Bronny says he is coming in aggressive and ready for whatever the team asks.
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