Last night was a blessing in disguise. Despite finishing the game on the losing end, the Lakers took a lot of positives. Bronny James played his first extended role for the Purple & Gold and didn’t disappoint. He recorded a team-high 17 points, shooting at 70% from the field. It was something that no one expected to happen. Well, Coach JJ Redick did believe it, as he made a revelation about Savannah and Bron while clearing the air on the 20-year-old’s G-League debate.
Taking on the Bucks, the shorthanded Lakers barely stood any chance, as Giannis & Co. dominated right from the tip-off. But Bronny James, who stayed on the court for 30 minutes, expressed himself with an all-round effort. And the reporters wanted to know everything about it, and JJ gave them what they were looking for.
The 40-year-old revealed when he first saw the true potential of the rookie. “I saw some video interviews that he did at the Combine in May… I texted Bron and I was like ‘Man, Bronny has his head up straight. He gets it,“ said JJ. He didn’t stop at. Redick further elaborated on how Bronny’s parents had an impact on him. “I’ve been impressed with the person that he is and to deal with frankly bullshit because of who his dad is and just keep a level head about it, be a class act, says a lot about him,” continued JJ, reflecting on the young gun.
Moreover, with his full-blown praise, JJ Redick revealed his true feelings on Savannah and King James‘ parenthood, saying “Says a lot about that family and the way LeBron and Savannah have raised him.” It’s truly a much-needed statement on Bronny amidst the media noise constantly bugging him. It wasn’t just Stephen A. Smith. Earlier, an ESPN reporter took a jab at the youngsters, but JJ stepped up again to defend and called it a bluff.
JJ Redick defends Bronny James amid false narratives
Soon after Bronny’s NBA debut alongside his father, one thing was very clear. JJ Redick wouldn’t make him part of the Lakers’ rotation. He was still under development and then the team rightfully sent him to the G-League to represent the South Bay Lakers.
The media didn’t leave him there either. Honestly, not every second-round pick received the same amount of attention. Days after his G-League debut, there was another controversy. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said, “From my understanding, he’s only going to play in the South Bay Lakers home games, that he’s only going to be a part-time G League player.“ He also added, “He’s not getting on United Airlines and going to fly and go see these other teams, play in those road games.“
Feb 20, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates victory over the Portland Trail Blazers with his son guard Bronny James (9) at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
While the information was only half true, it was spun in such a way that it implied that Bronny wasn’t committed to the G-League team. Well, that wasn’t true. Almost 4 months later, JJ Redick stepped into and cleared the air. He said, “Yeah, I don’t know who put it, there was something like he was not gonna play road games in G-League at the end of the year like that was never a plan.”
Moreover, he also stressed that Bronny was given the same treatment as other rookies, saying, “The way we done it with him, the way we done it with Trey, Christian, just having them available, having them with G-league, just the flexibility with it and having synergy with Zach and his staff.” Anyway, one of the misconceptions about the rising star is already out. Now, it’s only up to Bronny to find a permanent place in the Lakers rotation.
The post JJ Redick’s True Feelings For Savannah James Confirmed As He Calls Bluff on ESPN Reporter’s Bronny James Update appeared first on EssentiallySports.