Featured Image Credit: Ethan Miller / Staff via Getty
Topics: Basketball, LA Lakers, Lebron James, NBA
James Taylor
Topics: Basketball, LA Lakers, Lebron James, NBA
Bronny James' LA Lakers season is already being labelled as make or break ahead of the new NBA season.
With the start of pre-season just two weeks away, preparations are already well underway for the players as they get ready for the upcoming campaign.
Last year, Bronny and legend LeBron James made history when they became the first father-son duo to play together in NBA history. It was a promising first pro season for Bronny, as he featured in 27 games for the Lakers, although he started just once.
During his 6.7 minutes of game time per night, he averaged 2.3 points, showing there is still room for improvement on the offensive side of his game. However, many in the basketball world believe that his defensive ability is his most promising asset, which is a sharp contrast to his offensively brilliant father.
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Bronny has a strong physical profile, standing at six foot three, and possessing a wingspan of six foot seven and a half, allowing him to guard effectively.
He has also demonstrated excellent defensive instincts, particularly with his ability to get in front of his man.
Continuing to develop the defensive side of his game continues to be Bronny's primary focus and has been at the core of his training.
He said: “It’s definitely made me think about being more aggressive on that end of the floor, but I can’t lose that defensive drive that will get me on the floor because there’s going to be guys that can score 15, 20 a game.
“I’m most likely not going to be that guy right now. To get myself on the floor, I’ve got to be a defensive menace.
"That’s my main focus, getting conditioned this year.
"It’s been shown that I know how to score the ball a little bit, I’m staying true to that, but also focusing on the defensive end.”
The Lakers do not have appear to have a roster that commentators believe can challenge for the championship.
But there is optimism that their young stars will continue to develop this season. With the guidance and experience of his legendary father LeBron who is the leading all-time NBA points scorer, the Lakers could still surprise people this season.
The Lakers kick off their pre-season on 3 October against the Phoenix Suns, and play a total of six warm-up games.
Their NBA campaign gets underway on 21 October, when they host the Golden State Warriors.
It is a big season for the James family, who find themselves at opposite ends of their careers.