2024-10-07 20:10:03
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Bronny James discussed his mindset after sharing the court with his father and teammate, LeBron, for the first time during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 118-114 preseason loss to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night.
“I’m always thinking about ‘That’s my dad’ because that’s literally my dad,” James said after the game, per ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. “So I just go out there and, when I’m playing, he’s just my teammate. That’s all I’m thinking at that point.”
The two were on the floor together at the start of the second quarter.
The pair already became the first active father-son duo in NBA history after the Lakers selected the younger James with the No. 55 overall pick in the 2024 draft.
Bronny was selected by the Lakers following his freshman year at USC. He didn’t make his season debut with the Trojans until Dec. 2023 after suffering cardiac arrest during an offseason workout prior to the team’s 2023-24 campaign.
The 20-year-old reflected on his journey to the NBA, which allows him to stay level-headed despite the history that he’s making with his father.
“It’s just taking everything that has happened to me during this year, getting up and continuing to work every day,” James said, per Shelburne. “Just finding fuel every day to get up and start working.”
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer was amazed by the achievement that the two made. He finished with 19 points, five rebounds, and four assists in Sunday’s game while shooting 66.7 percent from the field.
The former Trojans guard is still finding his footing on offense through two preseason contests, as he’s scored just two points and pulled down three rebounds on 1-7 shooting in 29 total minutes on the floor.
Bronny has fared much better on the defensive end, blocking three shots during his preseason debut on Friday. He revealed that head coach JJ Redick has stressed the importance of being a “pest” on defense.
“JJ has really emphasized the defensive end and being a pest on defense,” Bronny said. “So that’s what I’ve been trying to focus on stepping on the floor.”
It may be difficult for him to carve out a regular-season role on a Lakers team with playoff aspirations, but he could earn more minutes moving forward if he’s able to remain effective on defense.
He’ll look to continue to improve during Los Angeles’ next preseason game, a matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.
