Jeanie Buss hopes Lakers’ roster has ‘same mentality’ Bronny James has displayed

Jeanie Buss isn’t ready to dub Bronny James as the Los Angeles Lakers’ next high-impact player, but she is a big fan of what she’s seen from the second-round pick thus far.

Buss also didn’t ignore the elephant in the room regarding the younger James having to overcome being the son of superstar LeBron James. During a recent interview with AM 570 LA Sports, the Lakers owner spoke about allowing Bronny to “prove that he should be in a Laker uniform” while praising his work ethic and dedication.

“Yeah, I mean, again, we have to let the kid have an opportunity to play and prove that he should be in a Laker uniform,” Buss said, via Hoops Hype. “And everything that we’ve seen from him and about him and his work ethic, just some of the things he’s had to overcome being the son of a big star. He works hard, he’s dedicated. He really wants to do this. And if we can have a roster of players with that same mentality, then I think the sky is the limit.”

It’s a unique evaluation from Buss, and it’s rare to hear something like this about a rookie, let alone a late-second-round pick. But as NBA fans are already well aware of, the situation with the 19-year-old son of one of the league’s most iconic stars is drastically far from normal.

While Bronny showcased a well-rounded game with unique upside on both ends of the floor during play at the 2024 NBA Summer League, he’ll likely spend time in the G League for a good portion of the upcoming season. Whether he makes the leap to join the Lakers will be a primary storyline, trumped only by the question of when he’ll share the court with his father for the first time.