The Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up their regular season on Sunday with an afternoon game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Having already secured the third seed in the Western Conference, the Lakers chose to rest their starters. As a result, Bronny James was given the opportunity to make his first NBA start.
Before the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick evaluated James’ rookie season and gave him an “A+” grade.
“I give him an A+,” Redick said, per Khobi Price of the SoCal News Group. “The way he’s handled all the attention—good and bad—has been incredibly mature. He stays consistent, never breaks character. He doesn’t let praise inflate him, and he doesn’t let criticism shake him. He just keeps putting in the work.
“Coach Zach Guthrie and his staff did a fantastic job developing him with the South Bay Lakers. His growth has been clear—especially watching his confidence build from October and November into the second half of the G League season after the Showcase.
“Since joining us in the latter part of the season, you can really see how much more comfortable and confident he’s become. He’s the type of player who listens, takes feedback, and doesn’t let it change his attitude or effort. I’ve told him—I genuinely believe he has a long-term future in our rotation.”
As the son of NBA legend LeBron James, Bronny James has been under a massive spotlight since being drafted by the Lakers last June. Despite the intense scrutiny, Bronny has continued to make strides throughout his rookie year. In an interview last month, he acknowledged being aware of the criticism but made it clear that it hasn’t deterred his growth or focus.
During the NBA regular season, Bronny appeared in 26 games for the Lakers, averaging 2.2 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in 5.5 minutes per game. He spent significant time in the G League, where he showed notable improvement. In the G League Tip-Off tournament, he averaged 13.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. His performance took a leap during the regular G League season, where he put up 21.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, while improving his three-point shooting to 38%—a jump of nearly 17% from the Tip-Off tournament 1
