LeBron James and his 20-year-old son, Bronny James, became the first father and son to play in the NBA together during the Los Angeles Lakers’ season opener. The moment was a dream set out by LeBron who the top scorer in league history, a few years ago. The family checked into the game against Minnesota simultaneously with four minutes left in the second quarter, prompting a big ovation from a home crowd aware of the enormity of the milestone.
LeBron is one of the greatest players in NBA history, a four-time champion and 20-time All-Star, while LeBron James Jr. was a second-round pick by the Lakers last summer. They are the first father and son to play in the world’s top basketball league at the same time, let alone on the same team.
The time on court together was fast and furious, just as LeBron promised. LeBron finished the night with 16 points and missed two perimeter shots before making a dunk. Bronny had an early offensive rebound and missed a tip, and his first NBA jump shot moments later was a 3-pointer that came up just short. He checked out one possession later, with 1:19 left in the second quarter, getting another ovation.
After the final whistle on the Lakers’ first opening-night victory in LeBron’s seven seasons with the team, father and son also headed to the locker room together. The entire family was in attendance to watch history on little sister Zhuri’s 10th birthday, no less.
Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. also were courtside at the Lakers’ downtown arena to witness the same history they made in Major League Baseball. The two sluggers played 51 games together for the Seattle Mariners in 1990 and 1991 as baseball’s first father-son duo.
LeBron first spoke about his dream to play alongside Bronny a few years ago, while his oldest son was still in high school. The dream became real after Bronny entered the draft as a teenager following one collegiate season, and the Lakers grabbed him with the 55th overall pick.
LeBron James and his son Bronny have joined a small club of father-son professional athletes who played together. The Griffeys made history 34 years ago, and they even homered in the same game on Sept. 14, 1990. Baseball Hall of Famer Tim Raines and his namesake son also accomplished the feat with the Baltimore Orioles in 2001. Gordie Howe played alongside his two sons, Mark and Marty, with the WHA’s Houston Aeros and Team Canada before one NHL season together on the Hartford Whalers in 1979-80.
LeBron shows no signs of slowing down or regressing as he begins his NBA record-tying 22nd season. He averaged more than 25 points per game last year for his 20th consecutive season, and he remains the most important player on the Lakers alongside Anthony Davis as they attempt to recapture the form that won a championship in 2020 and got them to the Western Conference finals in 2023.
Bronny survived cardiac arrest and open heart surgery in the summer of 2023, and he went on to play a truncated freshman season at the University of Southern California. He declared for the draft anyway, and the Lakers eagerly used the fourth-to-last pick in the draft on the 6-foot-2 guard.
The Lakers were aware of the history they would make with this pairing, and coach JJ Redick spoke with the Jameses recently about a plan to make it happen early in the regular season. Bronny is likely to join the affiliate South Bay Lakers of the G League at some point soon, and both LeBron and Redick have spoken positively about the South Bay team.
(AP)
