Bronny James faced significant criticism following his disappointing two-point performance in the Los Angeles Lakers’ preseason opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves. In light of this, LeBron James was asked to share his thoughts on his son’s first taste of NBA action.

LeBron expressed his support for Bronny, emphasizing that the transition to the NBA is a significant adjustment for any young player. He reassured reporters that there’s no need for concern regarding Bronny’s debut performance. “For him, it’s obviously an adjustment,” LeBron stated, highlighting the differences in competition levels across various stages of basketball—from middle school to high school, college, and now the NBA.

The Lakers superstar pointed out that Bronny missed a third of his lone college season due to a heart condition, further underscoring the time needed for him to acclimate to the professional game. “It’s up to us as veterans to help him and Dalton [Knecht], and all the young guys get up to speed,” LeBron added.

After the game, LeBron also took the time to provide Bronny with feedback on his performance. While Bronny chose not to divulge the specifics of their conversation following the Lakers’ 107-124 loss, he did mention that it included encouragement to keep working hard and maintain confidence.

“Yeah, there was some stuff we talked about. I would rather not go into detail, but just support and ‘keep working hard, keep being confident in yourself’. Stuff like that,” Bronny shared.

As the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, LeBron has a history of mentoring rookies, with Austin Reaves being a notable example of how his guidance can lead to significant improvement. Bronny can take motivation from his defensive contributions, which included three blocks during the game, and aim to build on that performance in the upcoming matchup against the Phoenix Suns