As the NBA preseason begins, so does the pro career of Bronny James, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James' eldest son. And after a so-so debut, Lakers head coach JJ Redick was pleased with the second-round pick's performance.
While his father and Lakers star Anthony Davis sat, Bronny and the Lakers began their preseason schedule with a game vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bronny, who has faced numerous questions about his fit in the NBA and his lackluster shooting, left many of the questions unanswered despite a few stellar plays on defense.
In a 124-107 loss, Bronny recorded 2 points (1-6 FG, 0-1 3PT), 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 turnover, and 3 blocks in 16 minutes of play. After the game, Redick spoke to the media about Bronny.
“He's had some really good days in August and September. He's had three really good days this week. We're really happy with his progress,” Redick said. “The kid can do some things defensively at his size that are really unique and can, I think, turn [him] into a really disruptive defender. And that manifested itself. On the offensive end, he's still kind of figuring out who he is, and that's our job as a player development program to just build him up. But I liked what I saw from Bronny.
“Truthfully, he's so easy to coach. He's got great soul and just a great energy about him. I like being around him and I'm rooting for him. He's a good player that we're happy to have in our program.”
“I think defensively at his size he’s unique. On the offensive end, he's trying to figure out who he is… but I liked what I saw from Bronny.”
JJ Redick on how he evaluates Bronny James 🗣️
(via @LoJoMedia)
pic.twitter.com/QumKlieIDC— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 5, 2024
Bronny James trying to find role with Lakers
Whether Bronny can develop a consistent shot will be a question that will linger. While Bronny had one of the best shooting performances at the NBA Draft Combine in May, he has shown very little proof he can sustain that elsewhere. In college, Bronny, who came off of USC's bench for most of the season, shot just 36.6% from the field, 26.7% on threes, and 67.6% at the line.
Related Los Angeles Lakers NewsArticle continues below
But what has some excited about Bronny's potential is on the other end of the floor. Like Redick said, he has displayed the ability to be a standout defender despite being considered undersized. That point was proven last night — his 3 blocks were the most of any player and matched the team total of the Timberwolves.
While there will be much talk about Bronny playing alongside his dad, the second-round pick will have to find some type of bench role within the Lakers and likely continue to develop at certain points with the South Bay Lakers in the G League.
The Lakers continue their preseason schedule tomorrow with a game vs. the Phoenix Suns at 6:30 p.m. PT.
