Bronny James had little room for an ordinary preseason showing. The Los Angeles Lakers still need to trim their roster to only 15 spots before the opening night. That has also fueled speculation about James Jr.’s place on the team. So, facing the Sacramento Kings, he had a chance to make his case.
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The 22-year-old did it with his defense. The third-year guard brought pressure on the ball and stayed locked into his assignments. He made his presence felt without needing to dominate the offense. It also caught the eye of a former NBA champion now calling the game from the broadcast booth.
“Great defense,” Danny Green, who is calling the Lakers’ away games this season, said on air. “I think he’s learned a thing or two from being around Collin Sexton in that locker room. getting hands on the ball Diving on the floor again, first one to the ground This is how you earn your minutes. Trying to pick up some weight in the offseason too, he’s got a little stronger.”
The sequence behind the praise from the former champion told the story. With Los Angeles leading 30-24, Bronny James found himself matched up with Clifford on the perimeter. He stayed low and applied pressure. Then came the payoff. The Lakers guard knocked the ball loose and immediately hit the floor to recover it.
Then he was the first player down. That effort stood out because it was not an isolated moment. On the following possession, Bronny James stayed active again. He cut off passing angles and made things difficult for Maxime Raynaud. Sandro Mamukelashvili then joined the pressure with a double-team, forcing a bad pass as Adou Thiero was there to collect it.
The defensive activity is hardly accidental. JJ Redick has made it a clear point of emphasis for Bronny. The message has been to defend with pressure, create discomfort and find ways to impact the game without the ball.
“I think just building on defensive instinct, how I was in the playoffs, picking up full court,” Bronny James spoke about that responsibility after practice just days earlier. “They’ve been emphasizing that, so I’ve been one of the guys that is picking up full court every possession, every time we get a bucket, just picking up full court.”
That approach could become especially important as the Lakers make their final roster decisions. James Jr. has also spent training camp testing himself against some of Los Angeles’ best offensive players.
Lakers insiders have reported that he has gone up against Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves regularly in practice. In fact, the young guard is enjoying the daily challenge.
“For sure, it’s going to make me better on the defensive end just picking them up full court,” Bronny James said. “I’m annoyed by them, they get annoyed with me in practice. Just continuing to do that will make me better for sure.”
Now, JJ Redick can see from the preseason work how Bronny James has been taking up his message. Against Sacramento, he made that part impossible to ignore.