This year, it was JJ Redick who gave the best birthday present to Bronny James. Coming into play, at the start of the 2nd quarter of the match against the Suns, to play for four minutes alongside his dad, LeBron. A dad moved to create history with his son Bronny.
“I prepared for the match as if it were a normal match”confided LeBron after the meeting. “But there was this moment when we came out of the timeout where he was defending all court and I stepped forward because my player had recovered the ball… We stood side by side and I looked at him, and I felt like I was in The Matrix or something. I didn’t feel like it was real.”
At their side, enthusiasm is there even if the Lakers lost and Bronny clearly missed his match. History with a capital H takes over. “I just wanted to give them the opportunity to play together during the preseason… as a continuation of a game,” Redick said. “I’m thrilled to be able to be a part of it. I really am. As a basketball fan, this is awesome. I think it’s a testament to LeBron’s longevity, but also his competitive toughness, that he’s still able to do this in his 22nd year. This is a testament to the work Bronny has done to get to this point and the fatherly care and love, as well as Savannah’s motherly care. Bronny is a great guy and a pleasure to be around. »
Bronny discovers his father as a teammate
For Bronny, it’s also a huge moment, even if he learns to consider his father as just a teammate. “I always say to myself “ He’s my father » because he’s literally my dad… But when I go on the field and, when I play, he’s just my teammate. That’s all I think about at that moment… It’s just about taking everything that’s happened to me over the course of this year, getting up and continuing to work every day. JJ really emphasized the defensive aspect and being a pest on defense. So that’s what I tried to focus on going into the field. »
Close friend of LeBron James, Anthony Davis is the perfect witness to this moment in history, and he defends Bronny after this zero point against the Suns in 13 minutes. “He’s tough, and he’s someone focused on defense. In the first match, he managed some good counterattacks. He’s physical” he lists. “He goes through screens, he has good hands to deflect passes and intercept. But he learns, and he tries to get by. We need to be aware of it. He’s still a rookie, and it’s different basketball. But I like what I see on both ends of the pitch, and especially on defense. »
