LeBron James and his son Bronny James made history on Tuesday night as the first father and son to play together in an NBA game during the Los Angeles Lakers' season opener. The duo entered the game with four minutes remaining in the second quarter, drawing applause from the home crowd recognizing the significance of the moment. LeBron had already been on the court for 13 minutes before he and his 20-year-old son took the floor together to create a historic occasion.
LeBron, the 39-year-old all-time leading scorer in NBA history, and Bronny, who was selected by the Lakers in the second round of the 2023 draft, became the first father and son to both play in the NBA, let alone on the same team. Before they checked in, LeBron advised Bronny on the bench: “Y’all ready? You see the intensity, right? Just play carefree, though. Don’t worry about mistakes. Just go out and play hard.”
The father and son shared the court for just under three minutes, during which LeBron missed two perimeter shots but later made a dunk. Bronny grabbed an early rebound and missed a tip-in, but his first NBA jump shot, a three-pointer, was just short. He exited the game with 1:19 left in the second quarter, receiving another round of applause.
Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr., who made history in Major League Baseball as the first father-son duo to play together, were in attendance to witness the Jameses' milestone. The Griffeys played 51 games together for the Seattle Mariners in 1990 and 1991. The Jameses and Griffeys met during pregame warmups, sharing photos and conversation between two legendary sports families.
LeBron, a four-time NBA champion and 20-time All-Star, first expressed his desire to play alongside Bronny several years ago when his eldest son was still in high school. That dream materialized after Bronny, following a collegiate season, entered the draft and was picked by the Lakers with the 55th overall selection. The Jameses joined a select group of father-son professional athletes who have played together, including the Griffeys, who made history 34 years ago, and even hit home runs in the same game in September 1990.
While other family pairings occurred late in the fathers' careers, LeBron shows no signs of slowing down as he embarks on his record-tying 22nd NBA season. He averaged over 25 points per game last season and remains a pivotal player for the Lakers alongside Anthony Davis, aiming to reclaim the championship form that led them to the 2020 title and the 2023 Western Conference finals.
Bronny overcame a cardiac arrest and open heart surgery in the summer of 2023, then played a shortened freshman season at the University of Southern California before declaring for the draft. The Lakers selected him with the fourth-to-last pick, a 6ft 2in guard. LeBron spent the summer in Europe with the gold medal-winning US team at the Paris Olympics, while Bronny played in the Lakers' summer league. They began practicing together before training camp.
“It’s been a treat,” LeBron said at Tuesday’s morning shootaround. “In preseason, the practices, just every day ... bringing him up to speed of what this professional life is all about, and how to prepare every day as a professional.” The duo first played together in the preseason, logging four minutes during a game against Phoenix earlier this month.
The Lakers were fully aware of the historical significance of the pairing and had discussed a plan with the Jameses to make it happen early in the regular season. The presence of the Griffeys ensured it would occur on opening night, even though coach JJ Redick emphasized the importance of it happening “naturally, in the flow of the game.”
The Lakers have not speculated on how long Bronny will remain on their NBA roster. With point guards D’Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, and Jalen Hood-Schifino on the team, Bronny may see limited minutes, necessitating regular playing time with the Lakers' G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, to develop his game to an NBA standard. LeBron and Redick have both praised the South Bay team, highlighting player development as a key aspect of the Lakers organization.
Miami forward Kevin Love, who knew all the James children—Bronny, Bryce, and Zhuri—from his time as LeBron’s teammate in Cleveland, described the moment as “an unbelievable moment” to see father and son playing together. “I grew up a Mariners fan, so I got to see Griffey and then Griffey Sr. But this is different, because LeBron is still a top-five player in the league,” Love said. “This game, man. It’s why we have that ($76bn) TV deal. The storylines and the things that happen like this, it’s an unbelievable story. This is really cool to see.”
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