Bronny James makes honest admission over Lakers 'opportunities'
Bronny James shot 1-for-12 as the Lakers fell 103–81 to the Suns, admitting he must make the most of limited preseason chances to impress coach JJ Redick
Bronny James failed to take advantage of a bigger role in the Lakers’ preseason opener — with LeBron James and Luka Doncic sitting out — and admitted afterward that opportunities won’t come easy during the regular season.
In 24 minutes of action versus the Phoenix Suns, James, who recently put his dad to shame while showing off his golf game, shot just 1-of-12 from the field, though he made 5-of-6 free throws for his 8 points. He also grabbed five rebounds, dished two assists, and turned it over twice, finishing with a minus-12 on the night. The Lakers fell 103–81 in front of over 9,000 fans at Acrisure Arena in the Coachella Valley.
Despite that line, James, still affected by his cardiac arrest ordeal at USC, stood by his shot selection. “I felt like they were pretty good shots,” he said.
“Not rushed, not forcing anything. Didn’t have my legs under me as much as I wanted to, so a lot of them were short, but most of them were on line. I felt like I could have made those.”
He continued: "Definitely felt like I was more comfortable, especially with the ball in my hands, and with the defensive and offensive schemes. But I'm just trying to feel it out. Feeling my way still and just continuing to grow."
Head coach JJ Redick pushed back on concerns, saying, “"He is so much more comfortable and confident as a player," Redick said of James. "Skill-wise, read-wise, all of those things have improved, but there's a big difference between improving those things in individual workouts and small group settings and doing it 5-on-5.”
“He's a totally different player than he was a year ago. I thought the stuff that he did down in the G League last year was huge for him in developing a comfort level in playing at this level."
Phoenix, meanwhile, came out firing. Devin Booker led the Suns with 24 points on 8-of-19 shooting, hitting two threes and adding six assists. Grayson Allen chipped in 13 points, including three triples, while Dillon Brooks scored 10 on an efficient 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.
The Suns controlled the game from start to finish, outscoring the Lakers 31–16 in the first quarter and never letting up.
Austin Reaves was the lone Laker to find rhythm offensively, scoring 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting and hitting all seven of his free throws.
RJ Davis followed with 14 points off the bench, shooting 5-of-8 from the floor. Rui Hachimura added 11, while Jaxson Hayes had seven points and five rebounds in limited minutes.
"I'm just trying to feel it out, trying to get some reps in with the guys," James said. "There's probably not going to be as many opportunities during the season, so I'm just coming out and defending hard, playing my game, doing the nonnegotiables. So if JJ sees that, maybe he'll give me an opportunity."
The next test arrives Sunday, when Los Angeles faces the Golden State Warriors. With LeBron and Luka likely to rest again, Bronny must prove he can turn clear effort and solid defense into usable minutes and trust from the coaching staff.