LOS ANGELES – LeBron James soaked his 40-year-old feet in an ice bucket Wednesday night in the Lakers’ locker room, quiet after a season-ending loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
He stared at his phone until something else caught his attention – his 20-year-old son, Bronny.
Standing in front of his locker, Bronny said something it seemed only his father could hear. The mundane moment signaled the end, at least for now, of something historical.
A father and son suited up for the same NBA team. So, where does playing alongside Bronny rank among LeBron’s accomplishments, especially considering everything Bronny has overcome?
“Number one for sure,’’ LeBron James said after the Lakers’ 103-96 loss. “That’s easy. That’s not even close. To be able to play the game that I love and to be able to be along my son this whole year has been one of the most gratifying, satisfying journeys I’ve ever been on.
“Just to see his growth from the moment he was drafted when we were all in New York at the draft party to seeing him in summer league struggle early on … and pick it up towards the end.’’
Then there was the Lakers’ preseason game Oct. 6 in Palm Desert, California, when father and son took the court together for the first time. And Bronny making his playoff debut in the final minutes of the Lakers’ loss to the Timberwolves in Game 1.
“I just saw he has a bright future because not only can he play the game of basketball, he’s just a great (expletive) kid,’’ James said. “And you can ask anybody, any one of his teammates, any one of the coaches. Just a joy to be around, and…’’
A grin spread across LeBron’s face before he added,: “I have to say that I have a lot to do with that.’’
As a team, the Lakers might have fallen short. But Bronny James said he felt good about the progress he made during his rookie season.
Bronny James addresses rookie season
In all, Bronny James played 27 games for the Lakers and averaged 2.3 points per game. He also played 11 games for the South Bay Lakers of the G League and averaged a team-high 21.1 points along with 5.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists.
“Just growing as a player that I was put in a situation that it could be difficult for a lot of people,’’ said Bronny James, who signed a four-year, $7.9 million contract with the Lakers before the season. “So I think just pushing through that and growing at the same time is just something to be proud of as I go through my career. So I think it was a great year for me.’’
Asked if there were points when he thought pressure or frustration might distract him or slow him down, Bronny replied, “I mean, yeah, but that’s all the time. It’s so many situations that I can say that it distracted me or something like that. So I feel like it’s, I think it’s good for me to go through those situations and come out on top.’’
LeBron James praises JJ Redick
LeBron James left no guesswork when it comes to how he feels about Lakers coach JJ Redick. He said Redick had “a hell of a rookie campaign for a rookie coach’’ and suggested he’s on his way to becoming great.
“(It’s) already hard being a rookie coach in the NBA. And it’s a hell of a lot harder being a rookie head coach coaching the Lakers,’’ James said. “… I thought he handled it extremely well. I thought he just learned every single day, held us accountable. He pushed us. I thought JJ and his coaches staff were great throughout the whole season. That was pretty cool.’’
Though the Lakers fell short of expectations, Redick helped guide the team to a 50-win season and the No. 3 seed in the ultra-competitive Western Conference.
“I know I can be better and I know I will get better,” Redick said. “I don’t necessarily take any satisfaction for how the year went. That’s not to say I’m not proud of what the group was able to do and how we were able to figure things out on the fly and put ourselves in position to have homecourt in the first round. But there’s always ways to get better and I can get a lot better.’’
Luka Doncic looking ahead
Luka Doncic has two years left on his contract, including a player option for the 2026-27 season. Though he hasn’t pledged to stay in Los Angeles long term, he spoke glowingly about his time with the Lakers since they acquired him Feb. 1 from the Dallas Mavericks.
“It’s been great,’’ Doncic said. “The way the fans accepted me, it’s been amazing. The way the community has accepted me has been amazing. So I’m really glad that I’m here.
“I had a great couple of months. Was trying to learn about everything, about the city, about the team. So just trying to process everything.’’
Two months, however, clearly was not enough to figure out how to close out playoff games along with James and Austin Reaves. In five games against the Timberwolves, the Lakers averaged 17 points in the fourth quarter and got outscored in each one.
The three Lakers closers disappeared.
“It’s tough to get that chemistry on the court without any practices,’’ Doncic said. “So I’m really excited to have the preseason with (James and Reaves) so we can learn.’’
Of Redick, Doncic said, “We have a great bond. It’s been nothing but amazing with him as a coach.’’
(This story has been updated to add new video).
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James reflects on Lakers’ first-round exit
