Bronny James made his highly anticipated preseason debut with the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night, although his father, LeBron James, was not on the court beside him. The Lakers faced off against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first of two weekend games held in the Coachella Valley.
Lakers coach JJ Redick decided to rest LeBron after three rigorous days of training camp, but the 39-year-old NBA superstar is expected to return for the next game against the Phoenix Suns—an exciting matchup that coincides with Bronny’s 20th birthday.
In his debut, Bronny scored two points during the Lakers’ 124-107 loss to the Timberwolves. Despite a slow start where he missed his first five shots, he managed to hit a layup with just 56.9 seconds remaining in the game. The 6-foot-2 guard also showcased his defensive skills, recording three blocked shots, one rebound, and one assist during his 16 minutes on the floor, which included time in both the second quarter and most of the fourth.
“I liked what I saw from Bronny,” Redick commented. “He’s easy to coach and has a great energy about him. I’m rooting for him. He’s a good player, and we’re happy to have him in our program.”
After the game, Bronny opted not to speak with reporters, but his performance demonstrated both promise and areas for improvement. As he prepares for the historic moment of playing alongside his father, he knows there’s plenty of work ahead.
Bronny took to the court to start the second quarter at Acrisure Arena, eager to make his mark in Lakers gold. Initially, he faced challenges; on his first defensive play, he got caught on a pick, allowing Rob Dillingham to score an open three-pointer. Following that, his pass was intercepted by Nickeil Alexander-Walker, but Bronny quickly hustled back to block the layup attempt.
“His defensive potential is unique for his size, and I believe he can become a disruptive defender,” Redick noted. “On offense, he’s still figuring out his identity, and that’s where our player development program will play a crucial role.”
Throughout the first six minutes of play, Bronny struggled to find his rhythm, missing all three of his initial shots, including a three-pointer. However, he did register an assist by finding Rui Hachimura, who hit a corner three-pointer during a fast break.
Bronny returned for the start of the fourth quarter but missed a jumper and had a layup attempt blocked. It wasn’t until the final minute that he finally got on the scoreboard. After receiving a pass from fellow rookie Dalton Knecht, he executed a looped layup over a defender, marking his first points in the NBA.
Redick praised Bronny’s work ethic, revealing that his playing time in the Lakers’ preseason opener was earned through three impressive performances in practice that week. As Bronny continues to develop, the anticipation builds for the moment when he and LeBron take the court together, making history as the first father-son duo to play in the same NBA game.
With LeBron’s return on the horizon, fans are eager to see how the duo will perform together, further enriching the legacy of the James family in basketball. The journey has just begun, and all eyes will be on Bronny as he navigates his rookie season with the Lakers.
