Bryce James hails DeZhon Hall’s “bag work” days after father LeBron James criticizes modern hoops term
Bryce James, LeBron James’ youngest son, is easily the most scrutinized high school basketball player today. Considering his father is the face of the NBA and perhaps the greatest to play the game, the Sierra Canyon star is under a microscope. Although still raw, many consider him to be arguably more talented than his older brother Bronny James.
The LA Lakers superstar’s 16-year-old kid is also just passionate about basketball and often keeps his eye on other emerging players. Recently, he reposted on Instagram a clip of DeZhon Hall dissecting defenses with a variety of moves. Bryce captioned his story with the “bag” emoji and the word “work.”
Bryce James seemingly appreciated how Hall made defenders pay when asked to score one-versus-one. The comment came a few days after LeBron James, on the “Mind the Game” podcast, told JJ Redick that basketball isn’t about just the “bag.” According to the four-time MVP, having a favorable matchup doesn’t always mean going one-on-one every single time.
The former Cleveland Cavaliers superstar emphasized that in the NBA, players who are on fire often get double-teamed. Even when that said player has a favorable matchup, opposing teams will almost always send help on defense. James wanted to point out that making the right plays is the priority and not just getting into “the bag.”
For many, the term is used to mean somebody with the kind of moves that often make defenders look foolish. It could also mean signature shots that make defenses helpless. For many, James Harden, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Anthony Edwards and other stars have enviable bags. LeBron James isn’t considered to be on the same tier as them.
Bryce James was perhaps impressed with the way DeZhon Hall worked on defenders to score. His IG comments may have nothing to do with what his father explained in his podcast. Still, it was a contrast between the superstar father and the emerging son that many promptly noticed.
LeBron James’ son Bryce James needs to work on his game
Scouts often come to see LeBron James’ son Bryce James play. He is not among the top 10 prospects for the class of 2025 but he has been monitored by some of the best talent evaluators around. The consensus is that the younger James has good to great potential but he has things to work on his game.
The Sierra Canyon guard doesn’t have explosive athleticism and he does not have a flashy game. He can sky high for dunks when given the chance but he does not do that for the sake of impressing the fans or the scouts. What he does have are solid shooting mechanics, an already good understanding of the game, and resilience.
Bryce James knows that he has his father LeBron James to help guide him on his basketball journey. He couldn’t ask for a better mentor than perhaps the GOAT of the sport he passionately loves.