Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James is only just beginning his NBA career, taking part in the NBA 2K25 Vegas Summer League. The 19-year-old has struggled with his shot, admitting “he’s in a slump” after shooting 6-of-26 in his first two games.
The 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft has had more success on defense, which was the expectation for the 6-foot-2 guard who checks in with an impressive 6-foot-7 wingspan. Yet, he’s also raw offensively, which is why James is expected to spend most of his rookie season in the G-League, working on his game while seeing much more floor time than he’d see with the Lakers.
While James is nowhere near a finished product right now, the Lakers are excited about what he can develop into in the future. Yet, his Lakers head coach, JJ Redick, already has a player comparison for Bronny James.
According to Redick, he sees Bronny developing into a Lu Dort type of player in the future.
“Lu Dort’s impact you can’t get into your offense sometimes… He literally blows up entire plays because of that pressure and I really believe this, Bronny eventually will be that guy.”
Dort is recognized as one of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s best two-way players, making nearly an equal impact on offense as he does on defense. Dort, who measures in at 6-foot-4, has seen his role adapt as the Thunder have developed into a top Western Conference contender. He’s scored as much as 17.2 PPG but has seen his averages slip to 13.7 and 10.9 PPG over the past two seasons.
“[Lou Dort’s] impact – you can’t get into your offense sometimes. The shot clock winds down because of his ball pressure…Bronny eventually will be that guy”
JJ Redick wants to see Bronny James focus on defense as he talks with @TermineRadio, Ryan McDonough, and @Jumpshot8. pic.twitter.com/hJ28D3J1Qp
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) July 13, 2024
Despite his declining scoring opportunities, Dort has still averaged nearly a steal each season of his five-year NBA career. If James can make a similar level of impact, he’ll have no trouble carving out an early role with the Lakers.
