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JJ Redick Shares His Honest Take on Bronny James’ First NBA Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Apr 14, 2025 8:24 AM ET

The 2024-25 NBA regular season concluded on Sunday after all teams played their final games. Now, the teams still in the hunt will prepare for the play-in games or their first-round matchups in the NBA Playoffs.

This season saw significant developments, including the trades of stars like Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, and Jimmy Butler. Another major highlight was Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James becoming the first player in NBA history to play in a game alongside his son. Bronny James was drafted as the No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and made his NBA debut alongside his father in the first game of the season against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The selection faced significant scrutiny from the national media, with many viewing it as merely a symbolic gesture. Bronny completed his first regular season in the NBA, averaging 2.3 points per game, with a shooting percentage of 31.3% from the field and 28.1% from three-point range. His best performance came against the Milwaukee Bucks in March, where he scored 17 points and recorded five assists, shooting 7-of-10 from the field.

On Sunday, James made his first start of the season after the Lakers clinched the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. This was due to them resting several players, including LeBron, Doncic and Austin Reaves. However, it was a challenging night for him, as he shot 2-of-10 from the field and scored just four points in a 27-point blowout by the Portland Trail Blazers. On a positive note, James contributed with six assists and four steals.

After the game, head coach JJ Redick was asked about the letter grade he would give James for his rookie season. He stated that it was an overall good year for the young player.

"I give him an A+," Redick said. "How he has personally handled a lot of attention, good and bad. He doesn't ever break character. He's the same guy every day. He doesn't allow the good attention to get to him, and he doesn't allow the bad attention to get to him. He just continues to work."

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Although James didn't post standout numbers in the NBA, he had a very successful season in the NBA G-League. He averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game over the course of 11 games. He shot 44% from the field and 38% from three-point range. His G-League season was highlighted by a remarkable 39-point game in March, during which he made 14-of-21 shots from the field, including four of eight three-pointers. While he didn't play enough games to qualify for official rankings, he would have placed 14th in scoring in the G-League if he had sufficient games played.

Now, James will have the opportunity to watch and possibly assist the Lakers as they navigate the playoffs in pursuit of their 18th NBA championship. The Lakers will begin their playoff journey on ABC on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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