NBA: LeBron and Bronny James share court time with the LA Lakers, a first!
LeBron James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, and his son Bronny sharing the court with the Lakers has become a reality! Although it was just a preseason game, “LeBron & Son” played together on Sunday, marking a historic moment in the league’s history.
The public had been eagerly anticipating this unique pairing since the June draft when Bronny James was selected as the 55th pick by the Californian franchise. The moment came to fruition at the start of the second quarter of the preseason game held in Palm Springs, nearly 200 km east of Los Angeles, against the Phoenix Suns, coinciding with Bronny’s 20th birthday.
“We came out of a timeout and we ended up next to each other. I looked at him. It was like something out of the movie +Matrix+ or something like that. It seemed unreal. But it was incredible,” commented LeBron James, who turns 40 in December and has accumulated over 40,000 points in his career.
“It’s special for both of us, and even more so for our family… It’s a moment I will never forget,” added “LBJ,” who made playing with his son a late-career goal, signing on for two more seasons in L.A. following Bronny’s draft in June.
The Lakers’ 118-114 loss to the Suns, just two weeks before the start of the regular season, was trivial. The stats too were insignificant: while the father showcased a performance befitting his status with 19 points in just 16 minutes, Bronny, the guard, failed to score a single point, attempting only one shot in 13 minutes.
Nevertheless, the pride was infectious, as expressed by the new Lakers coach, J.J. Redick. “I am truly honored to have been a part of this historic moment,” he stated.
“As a basketball fan, it’s fantastic. And I think it speaks to LeBron’s longevity, his competitive spirit. And it also speaks volumes about the work Bronny had to put in to get to this point,” he added.
This serves to reinforce the legitimacy of James Jr., who had previously stated that he thrives off the taunts suggesting he only earned his place with the Lakers because he is the “son of.”
“I take it all in… and turn it into something that fuels me,” affirmed Bronny James, who played at the University of Southern California (USC) last year and whose basketball future had been jeopardized by a cardiac arrest caused by a congenital heart defect during a summer 2023 practice.
In July, J.J. Redick had already stated that he was selected based on merit, adding, “He’s going to have a great opportunity to become an excellent NBA player.”
While the Lakers kick off their regular season on October 22 at home against Minnesota, it is not guaranteed that Bronny James will be present throughout: like many second-round draft picks, he might spend most of the season in the G-League, the NBA’s development league.
Nevertheless, for the father, happiness has already arrived. “It’s a lot of excitement, a pure joy to be able to come to work every day, work hard with your son, and continue to watch him grow,” he savored on Sunday.
