As LeBron James reaches the twilight of his career after two decades of playing, he’s experiencing the NBA all over again, this time through Bronny James’ eyes. Calling Bronny a teammate fills him with gratitude, but there’s a fine line. The Akron Hammer will guide him, yes, but not as a protective father. As a pro, James wants Bronny to shape his own story, even if that path gets uncomfortable.

“I mean, he loves the game, and that’s what’s most important, and he loves the work, and there’s no substitution for hard work,” James said on Mind the Game.

In the facility, the four-time MVP is just ‘one of the guys’, no special privileges for Bronny except some time after practice. And it’s a process he embraces. That is an intentional decision by LeBron James. His son has left the house to walk an independent path. The best way for him to pick up every essential lesson is by crawling through the heat.

“I just want him to walk his own journey,” James said. “I can give him the blueprint, and I can give him some of the things that I’ve seen, but I want him to walk through the fire as well. That’s going to be the best teacher for him to be able to go through these experiences and come out the best way he knows how.”

Bronny James understood that from the moment he contentiously joined the Lakers, every step would have to be earned. The 21-year-old has embraced the test, shuttling between the G League and the main roster, and recently earning another call-up. Each stint has demanded grit, and meeting those challenges head-on has started to fuel real confidence in the Lakers’ former second-round pick.

It might still be early for Bronny James to become a regular in JJ Redick’s rotations, but the head coach loves his curiosity and work ethic. Additionally, LeBron James, one of the best basketball brains, provides his assessments to aid him in his development. So far, that’s big progress for the 21-year-old. And the results are starting to flow.

Under the microscope, Bronny James finds his footing in L.A

As a second-round pick, having the entire NBA world watching you closely isn’t the typical experience. His last name and unproven potential caused polarizing opinions to fly in. However, Bronny James never batted an eye at the criticism. His policy is to keep working and prove to the people that matter that he belongs.

One of those people is JJ Redick. The Lakers’ head coach is hugely involved in developing the young guard. His assessments are straightforward. Redick wants James to have a “.5 mentality” when out on the floor. While it’s still in the works, the Lakers’ head coach is delighted with James’ openness to learn and adapt.

One of those ways was going to the G-League. James never viewed it as a demotion, but a necessary tool to harness his gifts. That’s seen him improve as a playmaker, averaging 8 assists in two games in the G-League this season. However, what Redick feels will really see him take flight is erasing the fear of failure.

In the game against the Bucks, the Lakers‘ head coach screamed at the 21-year-old for not shooting the ball when open. That’s the next barrier he needs to jump over. It’s tough, something even the greats have suffered from. But judging from his short time in the league, Bronny James tends to learn quickly.

Redick and the Lakers have shown growing confidence in his abilities. LeBron James oozes pride watching that growth. He revisited the Lakers’ game against the Trail Blazers on the road. “I was just super proud of him of the maturation process of him being able to not only play well at home and then have a back-to-back in a tough environment in Portland and then do it again,” he said.

It might still take some time for Bronny James to realize his exact NBA calling. But with the open mind and hunger he has, the Lakers are pleased with their decision.