LeBron and Bronny James: Breaking Barriers as First Father-Son Duo in NBA-2024 Updated
LeBron James and his son Bronny James were the first father-son team to play in the same NBA game, a historic event for the league.
On October 7, 2024, during the Los Angeles Lakers’ preseason game versus the Phoenix Suns at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California, an extraordinary incident took place. Since it was Bronny’s 20th birthday, the event was much more memorable.
Playing simultaneously in an NBA game, much alone on the same team, LeBron and Bronny are the first father and son to do this. Bronny’s 20th birthday was also the day of the historic event in the James family’s history.
Coming off the bench during the Coachella Valley’s Acrisure Arena timeout, Bronny James replaced his father on the court to start the second quarter.
LeBron made a turnover and Bronny made two in their first two minutes together, so things weren’t going well for the James family right away. LeBron passed the ball to Bronny and set up a screen for his son to take a three-point shot, but Bronny missed a few moments after LeBron made one.
At the following dead ball, LeBron came off the court 25 seconds after Bronny was substituted out at 4:09 in the second quarter. LeBron finished the first half with 19 points, five rebounds, and four assists in 16 minutes. Anthony Davis and he watched the Lakers play the second half from the bench.
LeBron James Jr., also known as Bronny, was selected by the Lakers in the second round of this summer’s draft. LeBron James is starting his record-tying 22nd season in the NBA. Bronny played just one season at Southern California before declaring for the NBA and signing with the Lakers after recuperating from a heart episode more than a year ago.
LeBron and Bronny will only play together “in the flow of the game,” according to Lakers coach JJ Redick, who also promised that their combination wouldn’t be “gimmicky.”
“I’m thrilled about it,” Redick continued. “I feel incredibly honored to be a part of history.”
Bronny did not score again during the Lakers’ 118-114 loss against the Suns, despite playing for around nine minutes in the second half.
The 6-foot-2 Bronny will probably play with his 6-foot-9 father in a real game early in the regular season, but he is expected to spend the majority of the upcoming season honing his craft with the G League’s South Bay Lakers.
Redick stated that the Lakers have already talked about the details of the next historic event, but he hasn’t stated when it will occur.
LeBron James, the greatest scorer in NBA history, will be 40 in late December, but he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. The Lakers made his lifelong ambition of playing in the NBA with one of his sons a reality by selecting Bronny with the 55th choice in the draft. He has talked for years about this dream.
LeBron skipped Friday night’s Lakers preseason game against Minnesota in order to recover from a demanding summer that included a full week of training camp. Bronny played 16 minutes against the Timberwolves, scoring two points on 1-for-6 shooting and racking up three blocks.
The Lakers play four more preseason games, all of which will take place outside of Los Angeles as their home arena is being refurbished, before hosting Minnesota on October 22 to start the regular season.
In 2004, LeBron and Savannah Brinson, his high school sweetheart, became parents for the first time while he was only beginning his second NBA season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Son Bryce and daughter Zhuri were their other two children.
Ever since LeBron returned from a summer vacation and the U.S. team won a gold medal at the Olympics in Paris, he and Bronny have been training for the opportunity to play together.
At the Lakers’ training facility, the father and son have frequently engaged in scrimmaging matches as opponents and teammates. In preparation, Redick claimed they had even run pick-and-rolls together.
They will become the latest in a select group of dads and sons who have participated in professional sports in North America during the regular season. Hockey legend Gordie Howe played with his sons Marty and Mark for the NHL’s Hartford Whalers and the WHA’s Houston Aeros. Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. played together with the Seattle Mariners for a portion of the 1990 and 1991 MLB seasons.
