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Bronny James Commits to Elite Conditioning and Defensive Specialization as Health Effects Linger

He says immune setbacks from his 2023 cardiac arrest have hindered his conditioning, prompting coach JJ Redick to urge a model of relentless two-way play.

Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Miami Heat during the first half of the California Classic summer league game at Chase Center on July 06, 2025 in San Francisco, California.
Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a slam dunk against the Miami Heat during the first half of the California Classic summer league game at Chase Center on July 06, 2025 in San Francisco, California.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick talks to Bronny James #9 during the first half of their preseason game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on October 18, 2024 in San Francisco, California.
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Overview

  • Bronny James reports that lingering immune issues from his cardiac arrest force him to miss workouts and games, disrupting his progress.
  • Coach JJ Redick has labeled “elite shape” the barrier to entry for rotation minutes and instructed James to study two-way guards Davion Mitchell and T.J. McConnell.
  • After sitting out the Summer League opener and facing a minutes restriction, James averaged 14.3 points, 3.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds on 47.6 percent shooting over four games.
  • During the offseason he added significant muscle and adopted structured training, diet and recovery routines to build the stamina required for his NBA role.
  • Rich Paul, Tylil James and teammate Gabe Vincent have publicly defended his development and highlighted the resolve born from his health scare.