They became the first father-son pairing to play in a game, while also making history, as LeBron James and his son Bronny took to the court for the LA Lakers – Phoenix Suns in their pre-season match.
LeBron James and his son Bronny make NBA history while taking the court together for the first time in a Los Angeles Lakers vs Phoenix Suns pre-season game. This is the first time any father and son have appeared on the court at the same time in an NBA game. On top of that, Bronny was turning 20 years old.
Bronny James bravely stepped onto the court at the start of the second quarter along with his dad. The Acrisure Arena in Coachella Valley erupted when Bronny was introduced, but challenges did emerge early The young scion committed two turnovers while LeBron added a turnover of his own within those first few minutes. Confidently, LeBron drains a 3-pointer and then sets a screen for Bronny, who misses a 3-point attempt. Then Bronny is out after just more than four minutes of playing, and he’s followed shortly by LeBron.
The remarkable 22nd season in the league by LeBron at age 39 has always made his dream of playing basketball alongside any of his sons. That was turned into reality when the Lakers picked up Bronny with the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Bronny had a sensational first season at the University of Southern California. He had beaten impossible odds to win and then survived a near-fatal cardiac arrest just over a year ago. While expected to spend much of his rookie season getting polished with the South Bay Lakers in the G League, news has already started circulating about how he will soon join his father when the team plays a regular-season game.
The head coach for the Lakers, JJ Redick, states that they already started planning their next father-son moment though not on any specific date yet. In the first pre-season game of the Lakers played against the Timberwolves, LeBron rested as Bronny played for 16 minutes scoring two points and three blocks.
LeBron always dreamed of being an NBA player with one of his kids. He was barely an adult when he had his first child, so it fits perfectly with the dream he envisioned with his high school sweetheart Savannah and their three kids -Bronny, Bryce, and Zhuri. They scrimmaged all day as the Lakers worked out together, all building up to this historical moment.
