After all the initial criticism surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers‘ decision to take Bronny James in the second round of last year’s NBA draft, there is now some tangible optimism that he can eventually become a legitimate NBA player after all.
He put up strong numbers in the G League this past season, and after a slow start to his summer league stint last month, he finished it with three solid performances in a row. He still has a long way to go, but now some are saying that he could crack the Lakers’ rotation as soon as this coming season.
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Coach JJ Redick said the big key for the 20-year-old guard is his fitness and conditioning.
Via ESPN:
“The biggest thing for Bronny is that he has to get in elite shape,” Redick told ESPN. “That’s the barrier of entry for him right now. And if he does that, I think he’s got a chance to be a really fantastic player in the NBA.”
Redick said right after the Lakers were knocked out of the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs that the team needed to get into championship shape. That comment was widely interpreted as being directed at Luka Doncic, who has gotten into better shape this summer, but it was also likely a case of Redick setting expectations right away as far as what everyone needed to do during the offseason.
James admitted that he still has some aftereffects from the cardiac arrest episode he dealt with two years ago. But he is on a positive trajectory, and as long as he’s dedicated to his craft, perhaps he will make many skeptics eat their words in the near future.
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This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: JJ Redick identifies biggest key to Bronny James making it in the NBA