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As Bronny James prepares to make his debut for the Los Angeles Lakers, the son of NBA legend LeBron James discussed his professional dreams, jersey number and more.
In a video released by the Lakers on Monday, James broke down his game, describing the three-and-D model many associated with him heading into the draft.
“Relentless defender,” James said. “I can catch and shoot, knock it down, but also can create for myself and create for others.”
James also addressed the origins of his NBA aspirations.
“Growing up and seeing my dad in front of all the crowd and stuff, it was a dream for me,” he said.
When draft night came, James hoped to just drown out the noise, as there was certainly plenty of talk of where he would land.
“To be honest, just tried to keep my mind as far away as possible,” James said. “I felt really calm and happy where I was… Hearing my name called, it was a lot of emotions.”
As far as picking a number, James admitted that there weren’t many to choose from—the Lakers have retired 13 of them—but he still found some meaning when selecting No. 9.
“No. 9 resonated with me, especially because I had three of them tatted on me,” James said. “But Juice World’s, his nine-nine-nine meaning, it’s turning everything negative and flipping it upside down.”
James had an up-and-down showing at NBA Summer League, averaging 8.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and one assist per game. The first few games saw him struggle, but he turned things around in the final games in Las Vegas.
With Summer League now behind him, James will continue developing ahead of his rookie season.
