Bronny James Impresses J.J. Redick in Lakers Preseason Debut

It might have come directly following his turnover and in the course of Game 1 of the preseason instead of Game 7 of the NBA Finals, but Bronny James had a chase-down block of his personal in his Los Angeles Lakers debut Friday together with his father, LeBron James, sitting at the bench to witness it.

Bronny James completed with two factors on 1-for-6 capturing inside the Lakers’ 124-107 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves to open their six-recreation exhibition slate, but he led the crew with three blocked shots in sixteen minutes at the same time as adding one rebound and one help.

The first block got here much less than a minute into his first shift to begin the second area while the Timberwolves’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker stole James’ bypass to D’Angelo Russell and streaked down the court towards the ring.

The Lakers’ No. 55 select did now not give up at the play, sprinting to catch as much as the 6-foot-five Alexander Walker and, regardless of being 6-2, effortlessly jumping high enough to swat the attempt away from behind.

Lakers educate JJ Redick said James earned the rotation minutes after a strong showing within the first week of schooling camp.

“As education group of workers, earlier than the game, as we have been kind of going over our rotation matrix, we were speakme approximately Bronny, and he is had a few in reality accurate days in August and September,” Redick said. “He’s had 3 in reality right days this week. We’re simply satisfied along with his development.”

Though James did not get his first bucket to fall till there were 56.2 seconds left and plenty of fanatics had been already submitting out of Acrisure Arena, the Lakers “home” crowd nevertheless welcomed the riding layup with loud cheers.

The relaxation of his displaying on offence — lacking a floater off the returned rim, crusing a baseline pull-up over the rim completely, getting blocked on the rim, arising brief on a protracted three and failing to attach on a 20-foot jumper — showed how a great deal of painting nonetheless needs to be completed; however, Redick targeted on James’ defensive impact that was already apparent.

“He can carry out a little defensively at his length, which may be in fact specific, and I suppose he can end up a simply disruptive defender,” Redick said. “That manifested itself. On the offensive forestall, he’s nonetheless identifying who he is.That’s our task as a player development programme simply to construct him in.

“But absolutely, he’s so clean to teach. He’s been given an amazing soul and only a remarkable electricity approximately him. I like being around him. I’m rooting for him. He’s a very good participant that we are satisfied to have in our programme.”

LeBron James did no longer play Friday, with Redick retaining out the 22- to 12-month-old veteran to rest after he competed for USA Basketball within the Paris Olympics.

However, Redick said he expects James to fit up Sunday while the Lakers play the Phoenix Suns, which might be the first time the father and son are in uniform together.