Ever since the Los Angeles Lakers selected Bronny James – the son of NBA megastar LeBron James – in the second round of the NBA Draft last week, there’s been a lot of talk about whether or not Bronny actually deserved to be selected or if he simply benefitted from his father’s talent and legacy. But new Lakers head coach JJ Redick did not hold back on that criticism.
During the introductory press conference for Bronny James, Redick had a pretty clear message for Bronny and any of his critics.
“With Bronny, I want to clarify one thing you just said, which is [Lakers general manager] Rob [Pelinka] and I did not give Bronny anything,” Redick said. “Bronny has earned this.”
Redick went on to praise Bronny for his traits and his potential as he made it clear that the team thinks Bronny can develop into a solid player, saying “there’s a lot to like about his game.”
“For us prioritizing player development, we view Bronny as case study No. 1. His base level of feel, athleticism, point of attack defender, shooting, passing – there’s a lot to like about his game,” Redick said.
Clearly, Redick is not going to stand for the suggestion that the only reason the Lakers drafted Bronny is because of LeBron James.
