This will be a big season for Bronny James, the son of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James. He is starting his second campaign as a pro, and he will need to build on the promise he showed last season and during the Las Vegas summer league in July.
The younger James shot poorly in the first two games of the preseason last weekend. But his potential is intact, and perhaps it is just a matter of time before he proves he belongs in the regular rotation of an NBA team.
Lakers coach JJ Redick identified guards Gabe Vincent and Marcus Smart as mentors for the younger James and talked about how important they will be for the 21-year-old (h/t Lakers Nation).
“Huge. Gabe as well,” Redick responded when asked about Smart being a role model for Bronny. “I mean those two guys are studs and even when they were limited participants, they were leading. Those guys know that’s part of their role, something we’ve already talked about just in terms of their leadership and they’ve both been great.”
Vincent and Smart can especially help the younger James on the defensive end, as that is where both veterans have always excelled. The University of Southern California product has always been thought to have the potential to be a defensive pest, going back to his high school days at Sierra Canyon School in the San Fernando Valley, and having guidance in that area could help immensely.
He averaged 21.9 points, 5.5 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals a game during the 2024-25 G League regular season. Some pundits have said they expect him to crack the Lakers’ rotation this season.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: JJ Redick identifies two Lakers mentors for Bronny James
