Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James made an immediate impact during his debut in the 2025 NBA Summer League, dazzling fans with impressive steals and dunks within the first 30 seconds of the game against the Miami Heat. Selected by the Lakers in the second round of the 2024 draft and son of star LeBron James, Bronny made his first appearance in the Summer League California Classic after sitting out the Lakers’ opening game versus the Golden State Warriors.
Seizing a chance early on, Bronny exploited defensive gaps created by Miami’s first-round pick, then energized the crowd with a powerful one-handed dunk to score his team’s first points. Despite playing just 11 minutes, he scored 10 points in the first half, helping the Lakers secure a 103-83 win, with six points coming from two successful three-pointers.
During his rookie season, Bronny mainly played in the G-League, averaging 21.9 points, 5.5 assists, and 5.1 rebounds in 27 games for the South Bay Lakers, shooting 44%. His limited NBA minutes in his first year saw an average of 6.7 minutes per game, highlighted by a standout performance where he scored 17 points and dished out 5 assists in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Fan Take: Bronny James’ promising start in the Summer League showcases the potential for the next generation of basketball talent within the Lakers organization. This glimpse of his skill and composure hints at an exciting future for the sport as legacy players like Bronny continue to develop and influence the game at a professional level.