The Lakers drafted LeBron’s 20-year-old son within the NBA Draft in June, making them the primary father-son duo on the identical staff.
LeBron James and his oldest son Bronny James have claimed a bit of NBA historical past, making their long-awaited first look collectively for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The duo appeared collectively early within the second quarter Sunday within the Lakers’ 118-114 preseason loss to the Phoenix Suns in Palm Desert, east of Los Angeles.
Whereas LeBron impressed with 19 factors in simply 16 minutes and 20 seconds on the courtroom earlier than sitting out the second half, Bronny discovered issues more durable with zero factors in simply over 13 minutes on the courtroom. The youthful James tried just one shot.
“It was nice for each of us, particularly our household,” LeBron James, 39, stated after taking part in alongside Bronny, who celebrated his twentieth birthday on Sunday. “It is undoubtedly a second I will always remember.
“As a father it means every part. For somebody who did not have a father rising up, to have the ability to have that affect in your youngster, to have the ability to have moments along with your youngster, to work along with your youngster, that is top-of-the-line issues a mum or dad might need. for.”
Nevertheless, James Sr. admitted there have been moments on the courtroom that appeared surreal.
“We got here out of a timeout and stood subsequent to one another. I sort of checked out it. It was like being in The Matrix or one thing. It simply did not appear actual. Nevertheless it was nice to have these moments.”
Anticipation over when the James duo would turn out to be the primary father-son duo to seem in the identical NBA lineup collectively has grown for the reason that Lakers chosen Bronny with the fifty fifth choose within the NBA Draft in June. .
“I am thrilled to have the ability to be part of this,” new Lakers coach JJ Redick stated after James’ double act.
“It is nice to be a basketball fan. I believe it speaks to LeBron’s longevity and his aggressive stamina. And it speaks to the work Bronny has carried out to get so far.”
Redick introduced Bronny James onto the courtroom, with the Lakers main 34-25 within the second quarter.
LeBron James has stated that taking part in with Bronny on the identical staff has given him a brand new lease of life as he enters the twenty second season of a superb profession.
“It is very thrilling, a pure pleasure, to have the ability to come to work daily, work arduous along with your son daily and be capable to watch him proceed to develop,” James stated.
“We push one another. He pushes me. I push him. We put strain on our teammates and vice versa. So it’s a very comfortable second not just for me, but in addition for our household.
“So it is fairly spectacular. “It provides you a number of life.”
Bronny stated on the Lakers’ current media day that he was buoyed by the phrases of critics who prompt he owes his spot on the Lakers roster solely to his famous person father.
“I am simply taking all these issues, these criticisms and adverse reactions that individuals have given me and turning them into one thing that may push me ahead,” he stated.
Bronny is predicted to spend most of his rookie season within the developmental G League slightly than on the Lakers’ senior staff.
The Lakers open their 2024-25 common season marketing campaign with a house sport towards the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 22.