LAS VEGAS – Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James addressed the franchise’s new coaching staff, including head coach JJ Redick, roster moves and the Lakers selecting his son, Bronny, in the second round of the NBA draft as USA Basketball’s men’s senior team opened its training camp ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
James, going for his third Olympic gold medal, is part of a star-studded roster that also features Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Davis and Joel Embiid.
It was the first time this offseason James has addressed those topics with reporters.
“Obviously it’s a dream come true for me. … It’s always been a dream of his,” James said of Bronny going No. 55 to the Lakers. “For us to be side-by-side, I’m at a loss of words. The kid has worked so hard to get to this point.”
LeBron talks about Bronny being drafted
Days after signing a four-year, $7.9 million rookie deal with the Lakers, Bronny made his NBA Summer League debut at the California Classic Saturday. He had four points on 2-for-9 shooting and two rebounds, two assists and one steal in 22 minutes.
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James was not able to watch all of his son’s game live with USA Basketball’s coinciding practice.
“To have this happen less than a year from his incident, to be with our friends and our family, when they announced his name, it was super surreal,” James said. “Our family still doesn’t have enough words to explain the feeling that we had. He’s such a great kid.”
Bronny, 19, played one season at Southern California and decided to enter the NBA draft his freshman season. He sustained a sudden cardiac arrest a year ago and was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. He had the defect repaired and was cleared to play for the Trojans and later cleared to play in the NBA by the league’s Fitness to Play panel.
“Looking forward to see his progression and him continue to get better and better,” James said. “As he continues to grow as a young man, he has so much room for improvement. I’m looking forward to helping him improve, I know the coaching staff is helping him improve and everybody on the team. So it will be fun.”
James added: “What he does in the California Classic and Summer League, it doesn’t matter if he plays well and it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t play well. I just want him to continue to grow. Practices, film sessions, his individual workouts.
“You can’t take anything stat-wise from the California Classic and Summer League and bring it once the season starts. The only thing that matters is him getting better and stacking days.”
Coaching staff additions
The Lakers hired Redick as head coach on June 24 after the team had made an offer to UConn men’s coach Dan Hurley. Redick and James had a popular podcast called “Mind of the Game” where they broke down X’s and O’s in an entertaining and fascinating manner.
Former NBA head coaches Scott Brooks and Nate McMillan are Lakers assistant coaches.
“We’re excited about JJ. Excited to work with JJ and also Coach Brooks and Coach McMillan as well. Those are two important pieces to the coaching staff,” James said.
LeBron doesn’t say much about roster moves
Beyond drafting Bronny and Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht No. 17 in the first round, and D’Angelo Russell opting into the final year of his contract, the Lakers have not made major moves to a roster that went 47-35 and lost in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs last season.
James called Knecht his favorite college player – save for Bronny – last season. “I watched his game throughout the postseason and just like his ability to shoot the ball, his height, his demeanor that he played with. I always thought his game translated to the NBA. I did not think he would fall to No. 17 at all.”
James declined to put championship aspirations on the team – even though those are Lakers expectations.
“The expectations are for us to go to work every day,” James said.
