After tallying a season-high 31 points in his last G League appearance, Bronny James was called up to the Lakers’ first unit this week. He didn’t suit up against the Hornets on Monday but JJ Redick gave the rookie his chance against the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers last night.
Advertisement
Unfortunately, Bronny wasn’t able to take advantage of the opportunity as he remained scoreless after a season-high 15 minutes on the NBA hardwood. The Lakers head coach was candid about James Jr.’s performance during the post-game presser.
“On a back-to-back, just him giving his energy I think was the goal. I maybe put him in a tough spot flying out yesterday, you know, nationally televised game and Philly, all that stuff. He didn’t play well,” Redick said.
During his 15 minutes on the court, Bronny went 0 of 5 from the field and shot 0 of 3 from three-point range. He ended the night with 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block, highlighting that motor that Redick was referring to. Despite his struggles shooting the ball, JJ remained positive about the rookie’s growth.
“He’s been playing great in the stay-ready games and he’s been playing great in the G [League]. So, I have confidence in him but obviously, [he] didn’t provide that at a high level [tonight],” the first-year head coach added.
View this post on Instagram
To add to Redick’s woes, Tyrese Maxey dropped 43 points to pull off the upset against the Lakers. Bronny’s dad, LeBron James, played 33 minutes last night, tallying 31 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists and 1 steal. However, Bron alone would nearly match the number of turnovers committed by the entire Sixers unit. Bronny contributed 3 turnovers of his own on the night, helping their opponents outscore them 23-12 in the fast break.
Bronny James reflected on his growth as a rookie
For a 55th pick like Bronny, in-game reps are the best way to acclimatize to the level of competition in the NBA. Despite going scoreless in the league since November 6th, the 20-year-old shared his perspective on his growth halfway through his rookie season.
“I knew beforehand that I was coming in and getting some minutes but I didn’t know before I got the call. It just came out of nowhere so I was just always trying to stay ready to play and always keeping my mind right,” James Jr. told Spectrum SportsNet.
As a part-time G League player, he reflected on the mindset it requires to switch between different levels of competition. He shared how important it is for him to remain game-ready whether or not he’s playing.
“I feel like I’m a lot more prepared now… I’m just trying to play as hard as I can, bring as much energy as I can,” Bronny added after the 104-118 loss in Philadelphia.
The rookie guard has certainly shown improvements in the G League, where he is averaging 16 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. However, it’s worth noting how he echoed many of JJ Redick’s sentiments about what he’s expected to do for the Lakers.
The guard position is running thin in LA, especially with Gabe Vincent’s recent injury. So even if Bronny just focuses on hustling and helping on defense, that can go a long way in bolstering the team’s back court.
