Is Bronny James playing tonight against Timberwolves? Exploring Lakers rookie's status for season opener | (Oct. 22)
Los Angeles Lakers will tip off their NBA 2024-25 season on Tuesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Rookie Bronny James is likely to play in the Purple and Gold's campaign opener as he is part of the roster and not listed in the team's injury report. Bronny will certainly be on the bench but whether or not he receives playing time will solely depend on coach JJ Redick.
Following the Lakers' practice on Monday, Bronny was asked if he would see any playing time in the game against the Timberwolves. The former USC guard didn’t offer a definite answer, stating that he still isn’t sure.
NBA insider Shams Charania emphasized that it's "very likely" Bronny will have the opportunity to play alongside his father LeBron in the Lakers' season opener.
"I'm told it's very likely, and the Lakers plan that LeBron James, Bronny James make history as the first father-son duo to be on the court at the same time, and likely to come early in the game as long as it's competitive and it's a flowing game as far as where the Lakers are at early on in that game," Shams said on SportsCeneter.
If coach JJ Redick opts to play Bronny, it will mark a historic moment as he and his father, LeBron James, would become the first father-son duo to play together in a regular season game. Should that happen, all eyes will be on the young guard, who is determined to focus on performing for his team rather than being overwhelmed by the significance of the occasion.
"I don’t feel like there will be time to do all that," Bronny told reporters when asked about creating history. "Especially when you’re checking in in the heat of the moment, so, I’ll probably take time to do that afterwards."
Bronny James ended the preseason on a high note
Bronny James had a challenging preseason, playing in all six games for the Lakers but struggling to make the most of his opportunities. The rookie averaged 4.2 points and 1.7 rebounds, shooting just 29.7% from the field, including 8.3% from beyond the arc.
However, he finished the preseason on a high note with a strong performance against the Golden State Warriors. He scored 17 points, grabbed four rebounds, dished out one assist and added three steals and a block to his stat line.
Bronny is determined not to let his poor performances shake his confidence, focusing instead on figuring things out through hard work and perseverance.
"I had some bad games, some rough starts, so I'll just continue to play my game and playing hard. You know, trying to figure it out," Bronny said.
For now, it's anticipated that Bronny will primarily play with the Lakers' G League team when their season starts next month.
Also read: Bronny James keeps Lakers fans guessing about playing status in season opener, reveals how he’ll address LeBron James during games