LeBron James and his son Bronny made NBA historical past on Sunday night time after they performed collectively for the primary time in the course of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ preseason recreation towards Phoenix.
LeBron and Bronny are the primary father and son to play in any NBA recreation on the identical time, not to mention on the identical group. The James household’s outstanding second coincidentally occurred on Bronny’s twentieth birthday.
Bronny James entered the sport as an alternative to start the second quarter, becoming a member of his father on the court docket out of the timeout at Acrisure Area within the Coachella Valley.
Issues weren’t instantly clean for the James household: Bronny dedicated two turnovers and LeBron made one other of their first two minutes collectively. Shortly after LeBron hit a 3-pointer moments later, LeBron bought the ball to Bronny and set a display for his son’s 3-point try, however Bronny missed.
Bronny got here off for a substitute 4:09 into the second quarter, and LeBron got here off 25 seconds later on the subsequent lifeless ball. LeBron had 19 factors, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 16 minutes in the course of the first half, and he watched the Lakers’ second half from the bench alongside Anthony Davis.
LeBron James is starting his record-tying twenty second season within the NBA, whereas LeBron James Jr. — identified to all as Bronny — was the Lakers’ second-round draft decide this summer season. After recovering from cardiac arrest over a 12 months in the past, Bronny performed only one season at Southern California earlier than getting into the draft and becoming a member of the Lakers.
READ | Mavericks star Luka Doncic injures calf in preseason follow, will likely be evaluated in every week
Lakers coach JJ Redick mentioned earlier than the sport that LeBron and Bronny would solely play collectively “within the move of the sport,” promising it wouldn’t be “gimmicky.”
“I’m enthusiastic about it,” Redick added. “I’m very honored that I get to be a part of historical past.”
Bronny performed about 9 minutes within the second half, however didn’t take one other shot within the Lakers’ 118-114 loss to the Suns.
The 6-foot-2 Bronny is anticipated to spend a lot of the upcoming season engaged on his recreation with the South Bay Lakers of the G League, however he’ll virtually actually get to play alongside his 6-foot-9 father in an actual recreation early within the common season.
Redick mentioned the Lakers have already got mentioned the logistics of the subsequent historic second, however he hasn’t predicted when it’ll occur.
Though LeBron will flip 40 in late December, the highest scorer in NBA historical past has proven no signal of slowing down with age. He has spoken for years about his longtime dream of enjoying within the NBA with one in all his sons, and the Lakers made it a actuality after they grabbed Bronny with the fifty fifth decide within the draft.
LeBron sat out of the Lakers’ preseason opener towards Minnesota final Friday night time, resting up after a full week of coaching camp following a busy summer season. Bronny had two factors on 1-for-6 taking pictures and three blocked pictures whereas enjoying 16 minutes towards the Timberwolves.
The Lakers have 4 extra preseason video games — all outdoors Los Angeles whereas their dwelling enviornment is being renovated — earlier than they start the common season at dwelling towards Minnesota on Oct. 22.
LeBron was early in his second NBA season with the Cleveland Cavaliers when he and his highschool sweetheart, Savannah Brinson, grew to become mother and father for the primary time in 2004. That they had two extra kids — son Bryce and daughter Zhuri.
LeBron and Bronny have been getting ready for the prospect to play collectively ever since LeBron returned from a summer season trip after successful a gold medal with the U.S. group on the Paris Olympics.
The daddy and son have scrimmaged collectively repeatedly throughout exercises on the Lakers’ coaching complicated, each as teammates and opponents. Redick mentioned they’ve even run pick-and-rolls collectively in preparation.
Within the common season, they’ll be a part of a brief listing of fathers and sons who’ve shared a enjoying area in North American skilled sports activities. Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. performed along with the Seattle Mariners throughout components of the 1990 and 1991 MLB seasons, whereas hockey nice Gordie Howe performed along with his sons Marty and Mark for the WHA’s Houston Aeros and the NHL’s Hartford Whalers.