JJ Redick Predicts Bronny James Will 'Take Off' After Overcoming One Fear

The Lakers head coach thinks a bit of mental health development will do wonders for the rookie.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick speaks to reporters on Dec. 17, 2024.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick speaks to reporters on Dec. 17, 2024. / Dave McMenamin / Twitter / Screenshot
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Bronny James has had an uninspiring start to his NBA career so far, but Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick thinks the rookie just has to overcome his fear of failure to really "take off."

"He's got to get to the point where it's OK to fail. And I think he has a real reservation to fail," Redick told reporters on Tuesday, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "And I think a lot of that is he's had a camera on him since he was eight years old. ... He's had attention on him, I'm cognizant of that. I think, once he develops that, he's going to take off."

"He will do anything we ask him to do and he's done everything we've asked him to do," Redick continued. "It's just really part of player development is not just the physical skills and the physical development, it is the mental development, as well."

Bronny has played 18 minutes for the Lakers so far this season, averaging just 0.6 points and 0.3 assists across seven games. He's had more obvious success with the G League's South Bay Lakers, where he scored a career-high 30 points against the Valley Suns last week. It's an interesting spot to be in—he's only 20 and at the start of his NBA career, but everybody is waiting to see how he stacks up to his dad.

The good news is Redick seems to believe that a-ha moment is coming.


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Brigid Kennedy
BRIGID KENNEDY

Brigid Kennedy is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, she covered political news, sporting news and culture at TheWeek.com before moving to Livingetc, an interior design magazine. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, dual majoring in television, radio and film (from the Newhouse School of Public Communications) and marketing managment (from the Whitman School of Management). Offline, she enjoys going to the movies, reading and watching the Steelers.