Video: LeBron James talks Bronny’s Lakers preseason debut and his adjustment to the NBA | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

LeBron James said it was “great” to see Bronny James make his preseason debut for the Los Angeles Lakers during Friday’s 124-107 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

However, James added that his eldest son and his Lakers teammates still have a lot of work to do before their first regular season under head coach JJ Redick begins on Oct. 22 against the Timberwolves.

“It’s the first game, we had three training sessions in our building, today we have four. I think for Bronny and for everyone, we want to keep trying to get better and better,” James told reporters during the Lakers’ Saturday practice (h/t Jovan Buha of The Athletic.) “It’s always great to get things going “To see what we need to work on and how we can continue to improve.”

“It was great to see Bronny out there, great to see JJ and the rest of the guys on the team. But of course we want to play much better and continue to implement the things we have done so far in our four practices.”

Bronny James finished with two points on 1-for-6 shooting while adding a rebound and an assist in the loss. The 19-year-old also led the Lakers with three blocks in his 16 minutes on the court, earning praise from Redick as a “really disruptive defender.”

James said playing in the NBA would “obviously be an adjustment” for his son after his lone season at USC was shortened by emergency heart surgery he underwent the season before.

“I think the more time he spends on the floor with pros, the more speed and cadence he has and all those things, the more time you spend on the floor, the better you get,” James said. “And you have to remember that last year he lost almost a third of the season due to his condition, but he got better every day and continued to work hard.”

“It’s up to us, the veterans and the guys out here, to try to help him, help Dalton (Knecht), help all the young guys, make them better and better every day at what we want to accomplish. “

Knecht, the No. 4 pick in the 2024 draft, tied Austin Reaves for the team lead with 16 points on 17-for-13 shooting in his preseason debut against Minnesota.

The elder James says he plans to join the Lakers’ rookies for their first game of the 2024-25 preseason on Sunday against the Phoenix Suns. The game could be the first time father and son play together in the NBA preseason.