"He’s a grown man" - LeBron James deflects Bronny James question, urges media to direct it toward his son
Ahead of the LA Lakers' fourth preseason outing, superstar forward LeBron James was asked about his son and teammate Bronny James' early struggles. However, the four-time MVP declined to answer the question, telling reporters to ask Bronny themselves.
Despite being a late second-round draft pick, Bronny has been in the spotlight throughout the preseason, with his every move being scrutinized. Unfortunately for the defensive-minded rookie guard, his offense has abandoned him thus far.
Through three exhibition contests, Bronny is averaging 0.7 points, 0.3 assists and 1.7 turnovers per game, shooting 9.1%. Meanwhile, he has yet to convert a 3-pointer and has a plus-minus of -40, tied for second worst among players with three-plus games played.
On Monday, LeBron was asked how Bronny has handled his slow start. Instead of answering, he highlighted the 20-year-old's capability to speak on his own experiences.
"You've gotta ask him," LeBron said. "He's a grown man, ask him how he's handling it. ... He's a grown man, he's a professional, he can handle all those questions himself. We know good or bad why the attention is there."
On Tuesday, LA takes on the Golden State Warriors at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. All eyes will likely be on Bronny James again as he looks to shake off his rust and make his mark in preseason.
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JJ Redick wants Bronny James to be "defensive pest" amid offensive struggles
Bronny James' offensive woes may have been the center of attention for the last week and a half. Nevertheless, according to the rookie, his coach JJ Redick is more focused on his defensive intensity and winning impact.
Following last week's 118-114 preseason loss to the Phoenix Suns, Bronny touched on Redick's uplifting approach to coaching his young players.
"He's really encouraging, especially for the younger guys like myself," Bronny said. "He's just trying to push us into something that down the road can contribute to a winning team."
He added that Redick has consistently challenged him to increase his defensive energy.
"JJ has really emphasized the defensive end and being a pest on defense," Bronny said. "So, that's what I've just been trying to focus on when I step on the floor."
Through three exhibition appearances, Bronny has yet to record a steal. However, he has tallied three blocks, all in LA's 124-107 preseason-opening loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
So, he will likely look to make his defensive presence felt more strongly on Tuesday against Golden State.
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