LeBron James and his eldest son, Bronny James, became the first father-son duo to play together for the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
This occurred during the Lakers’ 118-114 preseason loss to the Phoenix Suns in Palm Desert.
LeBron, 39, impressed with 19 points in just 16 minutes and 20 seconds on the court, while Bronny, who celebrated his 20th birthday on Sunday, found the going tougher, scoring zero points in 13 minutes.
Despite the contrasting performances, the James duo’s on-court presence together was a moment to cherish.
“It was cool for both of us, especially our family,” LeBron said post-game.
“It’s definitely a moment I’ll never forget. As a father, it means everything. For someone who didn’t have a dad growing up, to be able to have that influence on your son, to be able to have moments with your son, to work with your son — that’s one of the greatest things a father could ever hope for.”
LeBron admitted that there were surreal moments on court, “We came out of a timeout and we kind of stood next to each other. I kind of looked at him. It was like being in ‘The Matrix’ or something. It just didn’t feel real. But it was great to have those moments.”
New Lakers coach J.J. Redick, who introduced Bronny to the floor in the second quarter, praised the James duo. “It’s cool as a basketball fan. I think it speaks to the longevity of LeBron and his competitive stamina. And it speaks to the work that Bronny has done to get to this point.”
LeBron has expressed that playing with Bronny has revitalized his passion for the game as he enters his 22nd season. “It’s a lot of excitement, pure joy, to be able to come to work every day, put in hard work with your son every day, and be able to see him continue to grow.”
Bronny, who is expected to spend most of his rookie season in the developmental G-League, revealed his motivation stems from criticism that he only made the Lakers roster due to his father’s stature. “I’m just taking all that stuff, that criticism and backlash that people have given me, and turning it into something that can fuel me.”
The Lakers begin their 2024-2025 regular season campaign against the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 22.
