LeBron James and his oldest son took the court together for the first time Sunday night, giving fans a preview of the historic moment that will occur when the NBA season officially begins later this month.
LeBron and his son, fellow Lakers player Bronny James, played together in a preseason game against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday at Acresure Arena in Southern California, a 118-114 loss. The moment, when LeBron and Bronny became the first father-son duo to play in an NBA game at the same time, also happened on Bronny’s 20th birthday.
“It’s surreal,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the game, via The Athletic’s Jovan Buha. “It’s such an honor to be a part of history.”
Wow, that was surreal!! 🥺🥺🥺🙌🏾🙌🏾
— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 7, 2024
Bronny entered the game in the second quarter. He went 0-for-0 from the 3-point line, but had no points and two rebounds in 13 minutes. It was his second preseason game this fall. He had two points, one rebound and one assist in Friday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. LeBron made his preseason debut on Sunday. He had 19 points, five rebounds, and four assists in 16 minutes.
The Lakers selected Bronny with the 55th overall pick in this summer’s draft after spending one season at USC. The younger James then signed a four-year, $7.9 million guaranteed contract with the Lakers, which is highly unusual for a second-round pick.
Bronny also played with the Lakers’ summer league team in Las Vegas in July, and although he had several games in which he scored in double figures, he started 0-15.
LeBron is preparing to start his 22nd season in the league this fall, tying the record for most. LeBron, who turns 40 in December, appeared in 71 games with the Lakers last season, averaging 25.7 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds. This is the most games a player has played in a single season since the 2017-18 season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Lakers open the regular season against the Timberwolves on October 22nd, and LeBron and Bronny will officially make history as the first father and son to appear in an actual NBA game. There’s no doubt Sunday was special for the Jameses, but the moment in the coming weeks will be incredible for both the family and Lakers fans.
