Bronny James turned 22 on October 6, giving LeBron and Savannah James another chance to celebrate a son who has spent the past few years growing up under an extraordinary spotlight. This birthday, however, felt different. Bronny is now entering his third NBA season.
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The only difference is that he is building his own path in LA while his father begins a new chapter with the 76ers.
Savannah James marked the occasion on Instagram with a photo of Bronny dressed in golf gear. The third-year Lakers guard has one of his favorite hobbies. In the caption, she joked about the timing of his birthday.
“Happy Birthday @bronny!!! So grateful for you and hope you have an amazing birthday, even though you’re working. Lol! Grown man sh*t right there (laughing emojis) Love you more than words!!” she wrote.
LeBron, shortly after resharing his wife’s post on his stories, followed with a picture of himself and Bronny on a golf course. He added his own message: “Your joy on your day, young!! HBD, son I love you.”
As Savannah mentioned in her post, Bronny indeed did grown man things. He spent his birthday at work. The night before it, he came off the Lakers’ bench in their preseason opener against the Sacramento Kings. He finished with an all-around effort, scoring three points, five rebounds, two assists, and a block in the team’s 127-103 win.
The 22-year-old didn’t have an easy run. But he did work his way through it.
The birthday also comes after some difficult years for the James family. Bronny’s cardiac arrest at USC in 2023 was one of the most frightening moments of his young career. And LeBron has spoken openly about making sure his son never feels he has to hide when something is wrong.
He previously told Bronny that he could always come to him and say, “Dad, I’m not okay.” That support has remained a constant, even as Bronny has entered the NBA and started building an identity from his father.
The Lakers selected Bronny in the second round of the 2024 draft after one year at USC. He spent parts of his first two NBA seasons moving between the Lakers and their G League team. And he showcased his talents in LA whenever someone knocked at the door. Last season, he appeared in 42 games, averaging 2.9 ppg while shooting 38.6% from the arc.
Now, his father is no longer sharing the same locker room.
That change has allowed Bronny to continue developing away from the constant day-to-day presence of his father, even as LeBron and Savannah remain closely involved in his life.
