LeBron James described Bronny James’ development as steady and encouraging after the Los Angeles Lakers’ 140-126 victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
Speaking after his first appearance of the season, James said, “Seeing his growth… it’s been great to see and to watch,” noting how his son has adjusted to increased minutes during his absence.
James emphasized Bronny’s youth and ongoing learning curve. “He’s still young… still getting better with each and every rep,” he said as the Lakers improved to 11-4 behind Luka Doncic’s 37 points and 10 assists.
Bronny played the final 3:33 of the win and connected on a corner three, marking another tangible moment in his second year.
James pointed out that Bronny’s independence has grown off the court as well. “He’s not a resident anymore… he has his own place,” James said.
Bronny is averaging 8.0 minutes across 36 career games, posting 2.2 points per outing with a 30.1 percent field goal percentage.
His role expanded when James missed the first 14 games due to sciatica, highlighted by several rotation shifts that provided him extended opportunities.
On Tuesday, the Lakers surged behind a dominant third quarter, outscoring Utah 21-5 during a key stretch where Doncic scored 17 of his 37 points.
Austin Reaves added 26 points, while Deandre Ayton contributed 20 and 14 rebounds as Los Angeles shot 60 percent in the second half and finished 50-of-84 overall.
James overcame a slow start after missing his first 11 minutes of action, but he still delivered 12 assists and surpassed Reggie Miller for sixth on the NBA’s all-time three-pointers list.
Utah stayed competitive early behind Keyonte George’s 33 points and Lauri Markkanen’s 31, but the Lakers’ spacing and ball movement broke the game open after halftime.
Bronny’s minutes came during the final stretch with the result decided, offering another glimpse of his progression as a rotation option under an increasingly deep Lakers roster.
James closed his thoughts by circling back to Bronny’s attention to improvement. “I think he’s enjoying the process,” he said, reinforcing the incremental approach for the 21-year-old guard.
The Lakers visit Utah again on Sunday seeking a fourth straight win, while the Jazz host Oklahoma City on Friday as they attempt to reset after losing five of seven.
