Bronny James is staying focused after a difficult start to his preseason. The performance came nearly a year after his first preseason appearance in the same desert arena, marking another chapter in his journey to prove he belongs in the NBA. While the box score looked rough, the young guard isn’t letting one bad shooting night define his progress.
How Did Bronny James React to His Preseason Struggles?
Following a 1-for-12 shooting performance in the Los Angeles Lakers’ preseason opener, the 20-year-old guard acknowledged the frustration but focused on the positives from his effort.
“I felt like they were pretty good shots,” James said after the game. “Not rushed, not forcing anything. Didn’t have my legs under me as much as I wanted to, so a lot of them were short, but most of them were on line. I felt like I could have made those. I felt like I took some good shots.”
Bronny James on his 1-for-12 shooting night: “I didn’t rush, wasn’t forcing anything. I didn’t have my legs under me as much as I wanted to so I left a lot of them short.” pic.twitter.com/yfU03lkZYq
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 4, 2025
His assessment came after a challenging statistical night. James, who turns 21 on Monday, finished with eight points in nearly 24 minutes during the Lakers’ 103-81 loss to the Phoenix Suns in the Coachella Valley. He hit a 3-pointer late in the third quarter for his only field goal of the game, but he missed his other seven attempts from beyond the arc. Fellow 2024 draft pick Dalton Knecht also had a tough outing, shooting 2-for-10 from the field and 1-for-7 from three-point range.
The opportunity for extended minutes arose because both LeBron James and Luka Doncic were sidelined for the contest. LeBron, 40, is recovering gradually from a minor nerve issue as he prepares for his record 23rd NBA season. Doncic, meanwhile, is easing back into action after representing Slovenia at EuroBasket over the summer.
With those two superstars out, head coach JJ Redick used the game to evaluate the Lakers’ depth. Bronny was part of the team’s first substitution group and brought steady defensive energy, showing flashes of the perimeter stopper Redick believes he can become with more experience.
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“Definitely felt like I was more comfortable, especially with the ball in my hands, and with the defensive and offensive schemes,” Bronny said. “But I’m just trying to feel it out. Feeling my way still and just continuing to grow.”
Redick echoed that sentiment, noting that the performance, while uneven, was a step forward in Bronny’s development. The coach found the young guard’s poise, defensive consistency, and willingness to stay engaged despite his shooting struggles to be encouraging signs for a player still adjusting to the NBA’s pace and pressure.
Last season, Bronny appeared in 27 games for the Lakers, making history by sharing the court with his father in the season opener. Much of his development, however, happened in the G League, where he averaged 21.9 points and 5.5 assists per game with the Lakers’ affiliate.
