Bronny James

James is the eldest child of LeBron James and Savannah James, with younger siblings Bryce and Zhuri. His godfather is NBA All-Star Chris Paul, a close friend of LeBron James. James was raised in a family closely connected to professional basketball and has also pursued gaming, music, snowboarding, piano, and violin.

On July 24, 2023, James collapsed during a USC practice session after suffering cardiac arrest caused by a congenital heart defect. He was released from the hospital three days later and returned to collegiate competition in December 2023.

James began receiving national attention for his youth basketball highlights by age 10. He attended Crossroads School in Santa Monica and made his school debut there in 2018, scoring 27 points. In 2019, he transferred to Sierra Canyon School, where he played alongside his younger brother Bryce and Zaire Wade, the son of Dwyane Wade.

As a senior, James averaged 14.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while leading Sierra Canyon to a 23-11 record. He was selected for the 2023 McDonald's All-American Game and scored 15 points with five three-pointers, tying the event record for made threes. He also played for Team USA in the Nike Hoop Summit, scoring 11 points in a 90-84 victory.

James committed to the University of Southern California in May 2023 after considering USC, Ohio State, and Oregon. He made his USC debut in December 2023 after recovering from cardiac arrest and appeared in 25 games during the 2023-24 season, starting six.

At USC, James averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. He scored a college career-high 15 points against Oregon State and recorded 11 points, six assists, and five rebounds against Arizona. On June 27, 2024, the Los Angeles Lakers selected him with the 55th overall pick in the NBA draft.

James signed with the Lakers in July 2024 and wore number 9 for his professional debut. On October 22, 2024, he and LeBron James became the first father-son duo to play together in an NBA game when both appeared for the Lakers against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bronny recorded his first NBA basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers eight days later.

During his rookie season, James also played for the South Bay Lakers in the NBA G League. He scored 30 points against the Valley Suns, 31 points against the Rip City Remix, and a career-high 39 points against the Santa Cruz Warriors. His NBA role has included playing both guard positions and contributing as a perimeter defender.

James plays point guard and shooting guard. His strengths have been described as catch-and-shoot ability, perimeter defense, defensive anticipation, toughness, basketball intelligence, and willingness to pass. Analysts have also noted that he can defend opposing point guards and shoot while moving.

He has worn number 0 in honor of Russell Westbrook and number 23 in honor of his father. For his Lakers debut, he chose number 9 as a tribute to the late musician Juice Wrld. In 2020, James joined the esports organization FaZe Clan and was associated with the gaming handle "FaZe Bronny."