JJ Redick fires back at the Bronny James doubters.

As the son of a basketball legend, the haters will say that Bronny James inherited a ticket to the NBA. But according to new Lakers coach JJ Redick, Bronny has earned his place through hard work, patience, and dedication.

“Rob and I did not give Bronny anything,” said Redick. “Bronny has earned this. Bronny talks about his hard work and Bronny has earned it through hard work. For us, prioritizing player development, we see Bronny as case study one because his base level of feel, athleticism, point of attack defender, shooting, passing — there’s a lot to like about his game. And as we build out our player development program, he’s going to have a great opportunity to become an excellent NBA player.”

The young hooper was not among the “elite” prospects of this draft class and that was made clear when he was still available with the 55th pick. But what James might lack in natural talent he makes up for with things like his work ethic, humility, and an advanced feel for the game itself.

Bronny, 19, is fresh off his college season for the USC Trojans. As the point guard, he averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. After suffering a cardiac arrest last summer, Bronny’s entire offseason was interrupted and it contributed to his relatively modest stat line. Still, he showed enough to draw the interest of several teams, including the Lakers.

James was drafted 55th overall this year, officially making him and LeBron the first father-son duo to be active at the same time. And while it remains to be seen when Bronny will actually suit up and play for the team, we can expect a long development process ahead that may include some reps for the South Bay Lakers.

Regardless of what happens next, it sounds like Redick has some big plans for Bronny and he wants to make it clear to everyone that his roster spot was not blindly given. They believe that James Jr. can make a positive impact for them on the court and they will do everything they can to equip him with the tools he needs to succeed.

Sadly, after missing out on some of the top names already (Paul George and Klay Thompson), the Lakers are running out of options fast and they must make a move before the window closes. Even as-is, the Lakers will need some help from the supporting cast if they want any chance to keep up with the rest of the West.