Subscribe
Follow Us
As the Los Angeles Lakers gear up for the 2025–26 season, head coach JJ Redick reflected on a pivotal teaching moment with rookie guard Bronny James during his first year in the league.
Speaking to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Redick revealed the “only” time he delivered a harsh message to James came after the Lakers’ regular-season finale loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. The 109–81 defeat marked the end of a developmental season for James, who started and played 38 minutes in the game.
“It was the only time I really got on him all year,” Redick told McMenamin. “The thing I said to him was: My belief in you as a player can't be higher than your belief in you. And the standard you hold yourself has to be higher than the standard I'm going to hold you to.”
In that game, James finished with four points, six assists, four steals, three rebounds, and three turnovers while shooting 2-for-10 from the field. At halftime, the Lakers trailed by 15 points, and James had only two points on 1-for-4 shooting with two turnovers.
Bronny James draws praise from JJ Redick after up-and-down Lakers rookie season
Despite the struggles in the finale, James flashed signs of growth throughout his rookie campaign. He appeared in 27 games for the Lakers, averaging 2.3 points in 6.7 minutes per game. He also saw extended action with the South Bay Lakers in the G League, where he averaged 18.6 points, 4.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals while shooting 41.5% from the field and 33.6% from three over 18 appearances.
James had several notable moments during the season, including a five-point, two-rebound outing in a near upset against the Denver Nuggets when LeBron James and Luka Doncic rested. He followed that performance with a season-high 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting along with five assists against the Milwaukee Bucks less than a week later.
Though expectations were tempered for the 20-year-old rookie, Redick affirmed his optimism for James' future heading into his second year.
“My confidence level is, for sure, taking a leap,” Redick added.
The Lakers are entering a new chapter built around Doncic, who will begin his first full season with the team. Bronny James is expected to continue developing under Redick and his coaching staff as Los Angeles aims to compete at the highest level in the Western Conference.
James’ growth remains a storyline to watch as the Lakers evaluate internal progress and player development in preparation for the 2025–26 campaign.
