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Bronny James, the son of NBA superstar LeBron James, was always going to be under pressure when he joined the league at just 19. The LA Lakers rookie has received criticism for his poor performances on the court over the last few month. After coming off his best preseason game on Friday, coach JJ Redick commended the young guard for how he has responded to the outside noise.
JJ Redick, who is in his first season with the organization, has been tasked with developing Bronny's game. The coach is seeing first hand the pressure and high expectations that come with being LeBron James' son.
On Friday, NBA reporter Ryan Ward posted that Redick acknowledged the tricky situation but praised Bronny for his conduct and "class" over the last few months.
"He's a very grounded young man who is very coachable and has a very good head on his shoulders," said Redick.
"Couple conversations that I've had with him just about what it is like to be him. And I'm sure there's some amazing things that come with being him. There's probably some hard things that come with being him, too. And I think he's handled it with a lot of class and grace."
The Lakers have invested heavily in Bronny, who signed a four-year, $7.9 million guaranteed contract in July, meaning he will be working closely with Reddick and his coaching staff.
Redick also described the second-round pick as "coachable" and spoke about his willingness to learn.
"Again, I've said this a number of times, he's a pleasure to coach," added Redick.
Bronny James has struggled to make an impact in the NBA Summer League and preseason games. Before Friday's game against the Golden State Warriors, be had averaged a meagre 1.6 points and shot just 20 percent. He also failed to convert a 3-pointer over five games.
Bronny's display against the Warriors on Friday night would be a major boost for both him and the Lakers. The point guard recorded 17 points, four rebounds, three steals and an assist over 35 mins. He shot 7-for-17 from the field and 1-for-5 from behind the arc.
The Lakers lost their final preseason game to the Warriors 132-74, though. They begin their 2024-25 regular season against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 22.
LeBron James and Bronny James set to become first father-son duo to play together in NBA regular season
The Lakers selected Bronny James with the 55th overall pick in the NBA Draft after he had completed his freshman year at the University of Southern California.
The move paired Bronny James with his father, LeBron James, who has been with the Lakers since 2018. The two are set to become the first-ever father-son duo to take the court together in a regular season game during the 2024-25 season.
LeBron James and his son have already featured alongside each other in preseason. The pair played together at the professional level for the first time against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 6. NBA fans will witness another historic moment when the two players take the court during the upcoming regular season.
