Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick had nothing but positive superlatives to use when describijg his rookie star Bronny James with after he made his preseason debut on Saturday.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick: Bronny James a “unique” talent after preseason debut
Redick — a rookie head coach for the Lakers — liked what he saw from James despite his quiet showing on the box score, which included him shooting 1-6 from the field with a 1-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Lakers’ leader from the sideline said this about the USC product after L.A. fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-107 (h/t Bleacher Report’s Doric Sam):
“He can do some things defensively at his size that are really unique, and I think can turn into a really disruptive defender,” Redick said. “That manifested itself.”
Strong defense will earn James time in the Lakers’ rotation next season
The fact that Redick is impressed with the 19-year-old’s tenacity on the defensive end is actually the most encouraging appraisal that James could have received in the lead-up to the 2024-25 campaign. The Lakers have veteran scoring and playmaking up and down their roster, and a more vaunted rookie in Dalton Knecht who will also be competing for time next season. How Bronny will carve out a place for himself in Los Angeles’ rotation is by being a high IQ defensive stopper who can play great team basketball and grow over the course of the year.
Redick believes in the upside James shows as a potential two-way threat in the league
James’ offensive game shows a lot of promise, though his 26.7 percent three-point shooting percentage from his freshman year in college left something to be desired. Redick also acknowledged this, while expressing optimism that Bronny will come into his own as he gains more experience, also saying:
“On the offensive end, he’s still figuring out who he is. That’s our job as a player development program just to build him in,” Redick said. “But truthfully, he’s so easy to coach. He’s got a great soul. And just a great energy about him.”
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James will make history when he takes the floor for the first time next season alongside his father and Lakers superstar LeBron James. They’ll be the first father-son duo to play in the NBA at the same time and on the same team. That being said, it sounds like the younger James will give the basketball world reason to talk about him for more than the familial aspect he’ll bring to their roster next time out.
The Lakers could definitely use a boost in perimeter defense, and if James can show relentless energy, focus, and discipline on that end, he could potentially narrow down the amount of G League appearances he makes in favor of donning the purple and gold for their team in the Association.
