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Uzone.id – Bronny James in his first NBA preseason game as the Lakers host the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first of Los Angeles’ two games in the Coachella Valley. Meanwhile, LeBron is expected to join in the next match.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick opted not to start LeBron against the Timberwolves after three days of hard practice. But the 39-year-old NBA leading scorer will likely play against Phoenix on Sunday, which happens to be Bronny’s 20th birthday.
LeBron James looked on from the bench as his son, Bronny James, took the court for his first NBA preseason game with the Lakers on Friday (October 4) in the U.S. At just 19 years old, Bronny played for 16 minutes during the Lakers’ 107-124 defeat to the Timberwolves, showcasing glimpses of his potential with two points scored.
He entered the game in the second quarter, playing through the first half and spending most of the fourth quarter on the court. After missing his first five shots, Bronny finally found the basket with a layup in the final minute, which earned him loud cheers from the crowd at Acrisure Arena. While his shooting wasn’t as sharp as he would have hoped, Bronny made his mark defensively by blocking three shots, grabbing one rebound, and contributing one assist.
“He can do some defensive things with his size that is unique, and I think can turn into a defensive player that creates problems for opponents,” Lakers coach JJ Redick told reporters when asked about Bronny’s performance.
“It shows. On the offensive side, he’s still figuring out who he is. Our job as a player development program is to build him up. But honestly, he’s very coachable. He’s got a great soul. And, his energy is great. I love being around him. I support him. He’s a good player that we’re happy to have in our program,” added coach Redick.
Playing alongside Lakers starting guard D’Angelo Russell, Bronny was caught throwing an interception on his first defensive possession, allowing Rob Dillingham to hit a three-pointer. Bronny’s pass was then intercepted by Nickeil Alexander-Walker on the other end, but Bronny rushed back and blocked his layup attempt.
Bronny missed all three of his shots during six minutes of play, including a three-point attempt. He got a pass when he found Rui Hachimura for a three-pointer from the corner on a fast break.
LeBron appeared to keep his distance from Bronny during the first half, so his eldest son could focus on the game. But LeBron spoke to Bronny at length during a timeout midway through the second quarter, explaining something with hand gestures while Bronny nodded.
Bronny James was a second-round pick of the Lakers, and he played in the summer league in Las Vegas. Bronny is expected to play for the Lakers in the preseason before spending the majority of the upcoming regular season with the South Bay Lakers in the G League.
“There’s nerves,” Bronny said after the Lakers’ pregame practice session. “But I’m excited to get out on the field and learn from the guys playing in front of me, and if I get the chance to show what I can do, I will.”
The crowd didn’t seem disappointed as they flocked into the 22-month-old arena that is home to the American Hockey League team, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Hundreds of fans in gold Lakers jerseys representing everyone from James to George Mikan rushed into the building and down the stairs at the bottom for an up-close look at the pregame warm-ups.
“The beautiful thing about the Lakers is we have fans all over the world,” Redick said.
James and Davis did not take part in the Lakers’ first of six preseason games as they returned to competition after a busy summer. They joined the Lakers before the game wearing casual clothes.
The game against Minnesota was also the coaching debut of Redick, the 40-year-old former player who was surprisingly selected by general manager Rob Pelinka to replace Darvin Ham after the Lakers were eliminated in the first round of last season’s playoffs. Redick had never coached at any level, except for his children’s youth teams, before getting a contract from the Lakers.
