Lakers guard Bronny James said he spent the past year working to overcome lingering effects from his heart condition and become a player worthy of coach JJ Redick’s rotation.
The son of Lakers superstar LeBron James went into cardiac arrest two years ago due to a congenital heart defect, and underwent surgery that left a six-inch scar down the center of his chest before his freshman year at USC.
“I get kind of sick easier now,” the younger James, 20, told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin while in Las Vegas for the NBA summer league. “Which is kind of weird, but I think it messed with my immune system a little bit. So, I would have times where I have to sit out, and that conditioning that I’m working on just goes away in that week of me being out.”
James said an illness this summer kept him out of a week’s worth of workouts leading up to the California Classic earlier this month. He was out for the opener in San Francisco and was on a minutes restriction in his second game.
Redick explained that James — the Lakers’ No. 55 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft — needs to prioritize getting stronger in order to progress to the next level.
“The biggest thing for Bronny is that he has to get in elite shape, that’s the barrier of entry for him right now,” Redick told ESPN. “And if he does that, I think he’s got a chance to be a really fantastic player in the NBA. With the defensive pickup points, the disruption, being able to get downhill … I think we have all seen these amazing flashes of it from Bronny. And to get to that next level for him, it’s cardio fitness.
“He’s cleared. … I get that there’s a history there of a really scary thing that he had to live through, and I think it’s tough to push past certain points for him, but he’s going to get there. He’s going to get there.”
In 27 NBA appearances in his rookie season, the guard averaged 2.3 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.8 assists on 31.3 percent shooting from the field and 28.1 percent from three-point range.
James was back and forth from the Lakers to the South Bay Lakers in the G League, where he averaged 21.9 points, 44.3 percent shooting and 38.0 percent from beyond the arc.
“My head is all over the place,” James said. “There’s so much going on in Vegas. I personally don’t like summer league at all. I like the competition and the games, but I don’t like coming to Vegas and being in Vegas … After this, I’m just doing nothing.”
South Bay Lakers coach Zach Guthrie said he’s seen progress in James’ condition, and that he’s focusing on his diet and sleep.
“His conditioning is like a basketball 401(k),” Guthrie said. “It is all about daily deposits…Yeah, there’s going to be sometimes he’s sick or this or that, but if he just stays vigilant and stays about his work, I think he will be fine.”
James’ offseason workouts include interval training — VersaClimber sessions, stationary bike burnouts, incline walk exertions, and windsprints — to supplement scrimmaging and skill work.
He finishes his workouts with a curated 105-shot shooting drill, and his goal is to make 80 shots.
Redick was adamant about James’ growth and dedication to developing his game after the Lakers’ season ended in April with a loss to the Timberwolves in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series.
Lakers guard Gabe Vincent, whom James backed up on a few occasions last season, said the rookie earned respect from his teammates for how hard he works.
As for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer? LeBron, who will turn 41 in December, is rumored to want out of the Lakers after his agent, Rich Paul, released a statement regarding the 21-time All-Star accepting his $52.6 million player option.
LeBron was spotted partying in the South of France last week with his wife, Savannah James, and his business partner, Maverick Carter.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Paul told ESPN last month. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.
“We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him.”
LeBron, who is entering his 23rd season, has a no-trade clause in his contract.