Although it happened after a turnover during Game 1 of the preseason rather than Game 7 of the NBA Finals, Bronny James showcased his chase-down block in his Los Angeles Lakers debut on Friday, with his father, LeBron James, watching from the bench.
Bronny contributed two points on 1-for-6 shooting in the Lakers’ 124-107 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, kicking off their six-game exhibition series. Despite his shooting struggles, he led the team with three blocks in 16 minutes, adding one rebound and one assist.
The first block occurred less than a minute into his initial stint at the start of the second quarter. The Timberwolves’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker intercepted James’ pass intended for D’Angelo Russell and raced down the court toward the basket.
The Lakers’ No. 55 pick didn’t give up on the play, sprinting to catch up with the 6-foot-5 Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Despite standing at 6-foot-2, he easily leaped high enough to swat the shot away from behind.
Lakers coach JJ Redick explained that James earned his spot in the rotation after an impressive first week of training camp.
As a coaching staff, before the game, while discussing our rotation, we talked about Bronny, and he’s had some great days in August and September,” Redick said. “This week alone, he’s had three solid days. We’re pleased with his progress.”
Though James didn’t score until just 56.2 seconds left and many fans were already exiting Acrisure Arena, the Lakers’ “home” crowd erupted in cheers for his driving layup.
His offensive performance, however, showed areas for improvement—missing a floater off the back rim, overshooting a baseline pull-up, getting blocked at the rim, coming up short on a long 3, and missing a 20-foot jumper. Yet Redick highlighted James’ defensive impact, which was already clear.
He has a unique ability to do certain things defensively for his size, and I believe he can develop into a disruptive defender,” Redick said. “That showed today. Offensively, he’s still finding his identity, and it’s our job as a player development program to help him grow.
But honestly, he’s so easy to coach. He has a great spirit and energy. I enjoy being around him, and I’m rooting for him. He’s a good player, and we’re glad to have him in our program.
LeBron James did not play Friday, as Redick opted to rest the 22-year veteran following his participation with USA Basketball in the Paris Olympics.
However, Redick mentioned that he expects LeBron to play on Sunday against the Phoenix Suns, which could mark the first time father and son wear Lakers uniforms together.
