In a wild 137-130 victory over the Indiana Pacers that closed out the Los Angeles Lakers‘ sixgame road trip, 21-year-old Bronny James saw the kind of action he hasn’t enjoyed in weeks, and head coach JJ Redick made sure his voice was heard in support of the young guard’s development.
James, the youngest player on a Lakers roster that rotates future Hall of Famers and All-Stars, played more meaningful minutes than he has in recent games, a testament both to the game circumstances and Redick‘s evolving trust in his progress.
It was a rare stretch of real NBA floor time for the second-year pro, who has otherwise spent most of the season with Los Angeles‘ G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, finetuning his skills and confidence.
Redick drew attention for his assessment in the Lakers‘ postgame media availability, focusing on James‘ broader growth rather than the raw box score. “It’s gotten significantly better,” Redick said of James‘ development after the road win against the Pacers.
“Our staff has a lot of confidence in him. Felt like this was a game we really needed him. It was a game that, you know, his athleticism, his defense… he had two really, really good defensive possessions, individual defense in the first half. I think the biggest thing with him is he’s got a lot of confidence right now.”
James‘ stat line, four points, one rebound, one assist, and two steals, hardly jumps off the page in a high-scoring contest led by Luka Doncic (43 points) and LeBron James (23 points, nine rebounds, nine assists).
But for a young guard still establishing himself in the league and vying for consistent minutes, those contributions, particularly the defensive effort, spoke volumes about his readiness to compete at the NBA level.
Continued trust in growth pays off
Since being drafted 55th overall in the 2024 NBA draft, pairing him with his father, LeBron, in an unprecedented father-son NBA duo, James‘s rookie season was marked by limited opportunities in Los Angeles and plenty of seasoning in the G League.
Redick and the Lakers have been deliberate in balancing James‘ minutes between the NBA and developmental play, aiming to build confidence and decision-making at a manageable pace.
That approach has shown encouraging signs. In South Bay, James has been a consistent contributor, seeing starter-level minutes and the chance to run an offense.
Though his shooting efficiency has varied, the experience has helped sharpen his feel for gamespeed competition.
As part of that process, Redick has publicly highlighted incremental improvements James has made over time.
At various points this season, he has pointed to growth in James‘ playmaking and understanding of the game, elements that don’t always show up in a box score but signal a developing professional.
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