"Worked my butt off" - Bronny James reflects on his preseason debut with Lakers & previews showdown with Suns
Bronny James had his first taste of real NBA action on Friday when he made his preseason debut. The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves, 124-107, with Bronny scoring two points, grabbing one rebound, and dishing out one assist.
Talking to reporters on Saturday, the rookie said he will have a "special full circle moment" when he faces the Phoenix Suns in the second preseason game on Sunday.
"Just a grateful opportunity. I went in there, tried my hardest. Worked my butt off. It's going to be a special full circle moment for me playing the Suns tomorrow," Bronny said.
When asked about the full circle moment, he recalled that he had a pre-draft workout with the Phoenix-based franchise.
Moreover, he talked about what he saw on tape after his first preseason game. James noted a couple of things he needs to work on but still showed confidence in finding his spot within the squad.
"Me just being aggressive on both ends of the ball, but also trying to find my comfortability in the new offensive and defensive scheme. Just go out there and play my best and try to find my room," James said.
Bronny didn't play with his father on Friday, but he still shared touches with D'Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Max Christie, and fellow rookie Dalton Knecht.
JJ Redick said he's happy with Bronny James' progress after preseason debut
Bronny James didn't have the best debut against the Timberwolves, as he looked nervous and made preventable mistakes at times. He still showed his defensive prowess, blocking three shots, but struggled on offense, going 1-of-6 from the field.
After the game was over, JJ Redick showed faith in James, saying he's happy with his progress, especially on defense.
"We're really happy with his progress," Redick said. "The kid, you know, he can do some things defensively at his size that are really unique and can I think turn him into a really disruptive defender and that kind of manifested.
"On the offensive end, he's still trying to kind of find out who he is, and that's our job as a player developmental program just to build him up ... I liked what I say from Bronny, truth of the fact, he's so easy to coach."
Even though Bronny James is expected to spend considerable time in the G League, it's good to see that the Lakers are throwing him in the mix with their best players not named LeBron James or Anthony Davis.