Two nights ago, LeBron James watched his elder son Bronny make his senior team debut against the Timberwolves. Tonight, a moment LeBron had long envisioned became a reality as he took the court for the preseason against the Phoenix Suns. In the second quarter against the Suns, the King and the 19-year-old shared the floor to form the first father-son duo in NBA history.

To the 39-year-old, the moment was “surreal” as he expressed through a tweet. Having grown up without a father, LeBron James cherishes the memories he can create with his eldest. For him: “Definitely, a moment that I will never forget”. On the other side, Bronny James finds it tricky to view the legendary forward as anything but his father. Even though “psyched”, he can keep that aside. When on his job, “he’s just my teammate”.

Ultimately, that’s how the USC product has always looked at it. For LeBron James, a father, the dream of playing alongside his son is bigger than everything. But Bronny has not only tried to cast aside the large shadow, but his dream has always been consistent. The 19-year-old wants to succeed in the NBA. Hence, even though he was part of the iconic moment, James’ only concern was preparing for the game.

“I mean JJ told me we were going to be playing together but other than that I wasn’t really thinking about me being on the court with my dad,” he told reporters after the game. The thought matches his comments from the time the question has been put forth since his draft eligibility.

In terms of his mentality, nothing has changed. No matter the magnitude that the season holds, Bronny James is focused on sharpening his skills and being a player the Lakers need and value.

JJ Redick is pleased with Bronny James so far

In two preseason games so far, the 19-year-old’s numbers aren’t flattering. Rather, they laminate the exact picture that was expected by many. At this point, Bronny James is still a raw, developing prospect. Against the Suns, he failed to log more than one shot and caused four turnovers. Still, Redick understands why.

During the press conference, James emphasized his objective of first identifying his role within the team. With that still unclear, the rookie head coach empathized with James’ struggles. Since the teenager is “still kind of figuring out who he is”, Redick takes the onus on himself. With great attention to player development, the sharpshooter is confident in James eventually cementing his exact role for the Lakers.

His shortcomings haven’t deterred Redick’s thoughts about him. In terms of his progress within the system, the former Clipper is satisfied. Having gone from a sporadic Summer League to now slowly honing his defensive skills, the 40-year-old can witness Bronny’s maturity grow right in front of him.

Particularly, Redick already has a vision in place for the youthful guard. Despite being undersized, the Duke legend believes “he can do some things defensively at his size that are really unique and can, I think, turn into a really disruptive defender”. His three-block performance against the Wolves isn’t sufficient to set an expectation. Yet, it does show promise.

Playing under several mentors, Bronny James has an opportunity to mold himself and become the need of the hour for the Lakers. Last season, their transition defense caused many problems, especially in the postseason. James is gifted with natural lateral speed and has the defensive instincts to be a hawk against fast players in the league. With polished shot mechanics, Bronny James can replicate the impact of a player such as Jrue Holiday, a player he aspires to be in the future.

The road is still long. But James is “a great soul” who is willing to work meticulously to earn his straps.