JJ Redick holds excessive hopes for Bronny James.
In a latest interview with Sirius XM NBA Radio, the Lakers’ new head coach drew an intriguing participant comparability, likening LeBron James’ son, the No.55 choose within the 2024 NBA Draft, to Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder wing Lu Dort.
“We had been on the Canada-USA basketball exhibition sport. And I turned to considered one of our assistant coaches through the sport. And I stated, ‘I believe Lu Dort simply single handedly broke up the eighth possession of the sport.’ Like, his impression. You possibly can’t get into your offense. Generally, the shot clock winds down due to his ball stress. He actually blows up whole performs due to that stress. And I actually imagine this. Bronny will finally be that man,” Redick stated.
Bronny, 19, is listed at 6-foot-2 and 210 kilos, barely smaller than the 25-year-old Dort, listed 6-foot-4 and 220 kilos.
Dort, who made his NBA debut with Oklahoma Metropolis in December 2019, carved out a spot within the league by means of his defensive tenacity.
Redick highlighted Bronny’s defensive instincts, suggesting he might observe an analogous path to Dort within the professionals.
“You must be a man that’s a ball hawk always,” Redick stated. “We’re going to develop his shot. We’re going to develop his ball expertise. He’s already acquired a terrific really feel. He has a very good, instinctive nature on the defensive finish.”
On offense, nevertheless, the taking pictures guard has struggled. He appeared in three Summer time League video games with the Lakers, all of which they misplaced. He’s 6-for-26 from the sector and 0-for-12 from past the arc, tallying a complete of 15 factors.
“I believe you simply must let go of the outcomes and simply benefit from the strategy of being within the NBA,” Redick stated, in keeping with NBA.com. “He’s clearly case examine No.1. We’re going to speculate closely in him. He’s acquired to fall in love with that course of and let go of outcomes.”
Because the son of an NBA legend, Bronny beforehand stated he has skilled loads of negativity after being chosen by the Lakers within the second spherical, however stated it’s nothing new.
“I’ve been coping with stuff like this my entire life so it’s nothing totally different. It’s extra amplified for certain, however I’ll get by means of it,” stated Bronny, who signed a four-year, $7.9 million contract. “I’ve already seen it on social media and the web, speak about how I won’t deserve a possibility.”
Nevertheless, the youthful James talked about that he goals to show himself and develop into a precious asset for Los Angeles.
“I really feel like I’ve been given the chance to showcase what I can actually do as a result of I wasn’t on condition that a lot of a possibility at SC,” Bronny, who suffered a cardiac arrest final summer season, added.
Bronny averaged 4.8 factors and a couple of.1 assists per sport at USC.
Redick, who was named head coach on June 24, is a agency believer in Bronny’s capabilities and future function on the crew, denying any rumors of nepotism.
“Bronny has earned this. Bronny talks about his arduous work. Bronny has earned this by means of arduous, arduous work,” Redick stated on the crew’s introductory press convention.
