On Friday night, Bronny James took the court for his first pre-season game with the Los Angeles Lakers. Following the team’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Lakers head coach JJ Redick spoke to the media about the rookie guard’s performance. Bronny, watched by his father and Lakers star Anthony Davis, played his first game of the preseason against the Timberwolves.
Although questions remain about his place in the NBA and concerns about his shooting, he showed some strong defensive skills, though uncertainties still linger. In the 124-107 defeat, Bronny scored 2 points, with a shooting line of 1-6 from the field and 0-1 from three-point range. He also contributed 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 turnover, and recorded 3 blocks in 16 minutes on the court. After the game, Redick shared his thoughts on Bronny’s progress.
Redick said that Bronny has had some really good days in August and September, including three this week, and they are really happy with his progress.“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.”
Bronny James’ Shooting Challenges And Defensive Promise
A key question about Bronny is whether he can develop a steady shooting ability that will help him succeed. Even though he had a strong performance at the NBA Draft Combine, he struggled during his time at USC. He ended up averaging only 36.6% from the field, 26.7% from three-point range, and 67.6% from the free-throw line, showing that he has a lot of room to improve his shooting skills.
On the defensive side, Bronny’s skills are impressive. He managed to record three blocks in one game, which matched the total number of blocks made by the Timberwolves in that same game. While many people will be excited to see if he can play alongside his father, LeBron James, it’s important for Bronny to find his own spot on the Lakers’ bench.
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He might also spend time with the South Bay Lakers in the G League to help him grow as a player and gain more experience. The Lakers’ preseason continues against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. PT, offering Bronny James another opportunity to build on his lackluster debut performance.
