Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley say Bronny James “needs to focus on getting better” after NBA debut.

“Inside the NBA” analysts expressed their opinions on the rookie on the night he made history alongside his father as the first such duo to play together

When Bronny James stepped onto the floor alongside his father, LeBron, the duo made NBA history in the season opener.

Now the Los Angeles Lakers rookie needs time to develop his game, said Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley Within the NBA on Tuesday, October 22nd.

Before the 20-year-old stopped his warmups and was inserted into the lineup in the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Barkley previewed the moment on the pregame show.

“Bronny is a candidate. First of all, I'm glad he's healthy,” the retired Hall of Fame forward, 61, said of James, who suffered cardiac arrest in July 2023 and missed part of his first season at USC until he was cleared to play.

Related: LeBron James shares court with Bronny in historic first NBA game with father-son duo

Barkley then gave his assessment of the young player, who averaged 4.2 points and 1.7 rebounds per game in six preseason games.

“I think he should play in the G League,” Barkley said. “He’s not ready to play in the NBA right now. He should be in the G League because he’s not ready to play in the NBA in the first place.”

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The 11-time NBA All-Star added that James' “best quality” is being a defender since he's neither a true point guard nor a shooting guard.

“I think to take the pressure off him and let him get better as a player, he should play in the G League,” he concluded less than an hour before the rookie’s debut.

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James' debut was short-lived. Three minutes after the crowd at Crypto.com Arena stood to witness a father and son's first game together, Bronny left the game. The rookie missed two shots but grabbed a rebound in minimal playing time.

After the Lakers' victory over the Timberwolves, 110-103, O'Neal reflected on the special night.

“Great moment, great accomplishment,” said the retired Hall of Fame center, 52. “Would have liked to see him play more. Now this (debut) is over. I think he’s focused on getting better.”

Related: Ken Griffey Jr. Says He and His Dad Will Be in the Arena for LeBron and Bronny James' Historic Debut: 'It's a Big Deal'

Despite the tension and excitement surrounding the moment, Shaq also brought a dose of reality to the evening.

“He won't be in the starting lineup, he probably won't be in the second lineup, but when I'm in his place I'm kind of working on getting some sort of rotation to get some flow,” O' said Neal from Bronny. “Even because of his last name, we want him to be great, but like LeBron said, there are 450 of us (playing in the NBA) and there are only a few rookies that came in and made a big impact right away.” (Me) I’ve known the child for a long time.”

O'Neal concluded: “He works hard, he's willing to learn, so I wish him all the best. But a great achievement for the James family.”

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