Despite a rough outing in the Los Angeles Lakers’ first preseason game on Friday night, Bronny James earned praise from his head coach for how he has grown since his rookie year.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick told reporters after his team’s 103-81 loss to the Phoenix Suns that James looks like a “totally different player” compared to the 2024-25 season:
“He is so much more comfortable and confident as a player. Skill-wise, read-wise, all of those things have improved, but there’s a big difference between improving those things in individual workouts and small group settings, and doing it 5-on-5. … He’s a totally different player than he was a year ago. I thought the stuff that he did down in the G League last year was huge for him in developing a comfort level in playing at this level.”
James, who played 24 minutes off the bench, scored eight points on 1-of-12 shooting, grabbed five rebounds, dished out two assists and committed two turnovers.
Even though the shooting percentage wasn’t what he wanted, James said he felt like he was getting “pretty good” looks but “a lot of them were short” because his legs aren’t under him yet as he works his way into game shape.
One encouraging sign was that James got to the free-throw line six times. This at least indicates he was willing to keep attacking and remain aggressive even while his shots weren’t falling.
The downside is that James is still struggling to make shots since that was one of the primary concerns for him in the 2024 draft. He did show progress in that area in the G League last season, shooting 44.3 percent overall and 38.0 percent from three in 11 games.
It was harder for James to develop that area of his game because he kept splitting time between the G League and NBA, with his playing time at the highest level being inconsistent. He only played 181 minutes in 27 games with the Lakers.
If the Lakers can figure out a way to get him more consistent playing time, James could get to the point where he is a valuable contributor on both ends of the court.
Redick’s praise from what he’s seen of James since the Lakers opened training camp is a good sign that he will be utilized more often when the regular season begins on Oct. 21.
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