NBA Scouts, Execs Share the Skills Bronny James Must Sharpen Before a Lakers Return
ORLANDO — There were hundreds of aspiring NBA players looking for a breakout at this year's NBA G League Winter Showcase, but the attention of most fans and media was squarely on South Bay Lakers guard Bronny James.
The reason is obvious: Bronny is the son of legendary forward LeBron James. Earlier this season, the two became the first father-son pair to appear in an NBA game together. However, the younger James has a lot of work to do before he makes sense as a permanent fixture of the Los Angeles Lakers.
In Orlando, Bleacher Report caught up with scouts, agents, former league executives, and a skills trainer to discuss what skills Bronny needs to sharpen most to thrive long-term.
Outside Shooting
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If there's one Bronny skill that seemingly everyone agrees needs work, it's shooting, especially from the outside.
"I think the biggest thing for his game is consistency, especially from three-point range," one G League scout told Bleacher Report.
Through Saturday's game against the Osceola Magic, James is 7-of-33 from deep in seven G League appearances. And the picture doesn't get much better when you hone in on catch-and-shoot looks (typically the easier variety for most shooters).
When you combine his attempts for South Bay and Los Angeles, he's 3-of-27 on catch-and-shoot threes. And of course, those struggles aren't a huge departure from what Bronny showed us at previous stops.
In six summer league games, he was 3-of-23 from deep. At USC, he was 16-of-60. His free-throw percentages everywhere don't offer much hope, either.
Still, shooting is a skill that can be developed. Repetition is key. And Bronny has time on his side.
He just turned 20, and if he can figure out how to consistently knock down threes, he might have a chance. "But he's at least two years away from being ready for the league," the scout said.
Inside Shooting
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"If a young player in a limited role isn't consistently knocking down open catch-and-shoots, then they have to be able to at least attack close-outs and finish around the rim efficiently," one coach told Bleacher Report. "Unfortunately, he's struggling in this area just as greatly."
When you watch Bronny play, particularly as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, he's actually pretty good at coming off the screen with some patience. At least against G League defenders, he's often able to snake-dribble his way to the paint. But the attempts to finish when he gets there are adventures...to put it mildly.
"Bronny is consistently struggling to finish vs length, often getting too deep into the paint and not properly using his body/leverage to finish over the top," the coach added. "This has led to many shots getting blocked and many wild, out-of-control misses. As a 6'2" guard, he needs to get craftier with his timing and footwork to change directions/draw fouls. But right now, most of his finishing attempts are predictable, and he often just tries to elevate and out-athlete defenders, which again, as a 6'2" guard, just isn't going to work at the NBA level."
He also added that Bronny's instinct to go to the floater and avoid those shot-blockers isn't necessarily bad, but his touch on those is bad, too. Several of his floaters aren't just missing. They're missing everything.
Like outside shooting, touch on the floater can be developed, largely through repetition. The finishing and craft he needs around the basket will likely take more time.
Ball-handling
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If you just look at his raw assist numbers, you might be encouraged by Bronny's upside as a playmaker.
He had seven on Saturday and is averaging 4.6 per 36 minutes in the G League. But he also had six giveaways in that game, and his assist-to-turnover ratio for South Bay is just 1.1.
"Bronny doesn't have the handles you'd want from a point guard," one scout said. "He isn't going to break people down, and he'll occasionally travel."
One former executive noted the aforementioned snake-dribble as a strength, but that's not to the level necessary to overcome all the weaknesses. In the NBA, ball-handling often isn't enough to overcome bad shooting for anyone.
Even if James becomes a passable ball-handler and distributor relative to other NBA guards, this is probably a little lower on his developmental priority list than shooting.
Defensive Motor
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This is one area of Bronny's game where opinions seem a bit more mixed.
When he registered a 6'7" wingspan and 40.5-inch vertical at the combine, it was fair to think he might have a chance on the less glamorous end of the floor. The possibility of him inheriting some of his father's defensive instincts and IQ is intriguing, too.
But according to one executive, Bronny's motor will occasionally stall. And when you're not making a big offensive impact, you almost always have to be on defensively.
The Path Forward
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If all of the above sounds a little negative, that's because it is.
One agent put it this way:
"Bronny is an undersized guard with a poor jump shot. I doubt that he will ever be a serviceable NBA player, but this is what he could do: become a 40-plus-percent three-point shooter. Focus on the defensive side of the ball. His lateral movement is not great, but with the right mindset, he could earn minutes by giving 100 percent on defense. His playmaking and passing need to improve. That's something that comes with experience. The biggest factor will be his mentality. Is he willing to become a hustling role player and outwork everyone in the gym every day when he has no real reason to do that?"
One former NBA player chimed in, too. When asked what aspect of Bronny's game needs the most work, he told Bleacher Report, "everything."
But the skills identified throughout this piece are all developable. Bronny is on a contract that runs through at least 2026-27 (there's a team option for 2027-28), and he'll be surrounded by NBA and G League coaching and development staffs that entire time.
The pedigree and athletic foundation are at least intriguing, even if James is only 6'2". And while the skills he's shown so far suggest he's a multiyear project, becoming a role player is at least possible.
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