The Los Angeles Lakers drafted Bronny James with the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft to create the first-ever NBA father-son duo with LeBron James leading the roster. Bronny was drafted as a developmental prospect and played a total of 181 minutes in 27 games over his rookie season.

Heading into his second year in the NBA, Bronny will aim to show Lakers head coach JJ Redick he has taken a tangible step forward.

With potential rotational spots available for Bronny to compete for, Redick recently revealed to ESPN what he wants from Bronny to secure a rotational spot next season, specifically pointing out his cardio fitness.

JJ Redick Names 2 Examples For Bronny James To Emulate

James needs to chase after realistic NBA targets to go from one of the final picks in the 2024 Draft to a rotational spot on a contending roster.

Coach Redick laid that out for him, naming Miami Heat’s Davion Mitchell and Indiana Pacers’ T.J. McConnell as examples for the Lakers guard.

“On every single possession, they’re in the game — whether that’s offensively or defensively – they’re able to impact it with how hard they play. With the defensive pickup points, the disruption, being able to get downhill … I think we have all seen these amazing flashes of it from Bronny. And to get to that next level for him, it’s cardio fitness.”

Mitchell averaged 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.0 steals last season, while McConnell averaged 9.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.1 steals last season.

The call to improve his cardio fitness is also pertinent because James suffered a cardiac arrest in September 2023 before his freshman season with the USC Tigers.

Bronny James’ Improvement Was Clear During Summer League

James averaged 14.3 points and 3.8 assists during the 2025 NBA Summer League, showing the world that he’s a much-improved prospect than the raw rookie we saw at the same time last season.

Given he averaged 2.3 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.8 assists in his rookie NBA season, any productive minutes will likely be an improvement.

His aggressive on-ball defense was something that stood out to everyone, which explains why Redick is pushing him to emulate the likes of Mitchell and McConnell.

His defensive skill will help him stand out and find a long-term home in the NBA, especially with his improving jumpshot. He looked more comfortable with the ball in his hand during the Summer League as well, making his future as an NBA guard more realistic.

Lakers Backup Point Guard Battle

The Lakers will be led by Luka Doncic as the primary guard with LeBron James as the secondary option, and Austin Reaves after them. The team has plenty of on-ball talent and could stagger these three stars to fulfill 48 minutes of ball-handling and playmaking.

Nonetheless, the Lakers need backup guards to keep their roster deep. Gabe Vincent averaged 6.4 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists last season and is expected to play a similar role this year. The franchise signed Marcus Smart in free agency as well.

Smart is a great example for James in the locker room, as the role Redick envisions for the young guard is similar to the one Smart has played for years. While James might not be a future Defensive Player of the Year, he can find ways to be a productive 3-and-D guard.