On Sunday, LeBron James became the first player in history to play in the NBA with his son. Against the Phoenix Suns, the King and Bronny entered the floor together at the start of the second quarter.
Historical. LeBron James continues to write NBA history. Already the top scorer in the American basketball league, with more than 40,000 career points, the Paris 2024 Olympic champion has once again registered his name alongside the greatest. On Sunday, he became the first player in NBA history to play in the American championship with his son.
A lovely birthday present for Bronny. The latter, who celebrated his 20th birthday the same day, made his debut alongside his father during a preseason match against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday in Palm Springs, almost 200 km east of Los Angeles. The general public has been waiting for this unprecedented association since the June draft and the selection of Bronny James in 55th position by the Californian franchise.
“Like in The Matrix”
“We came out of a timeout and found ourselves there, next to each other. I looked at him. It was like in (the science fiction film) The Matrix or something. It seemed unreal. But it was incredible,” said LeBron James, 40 years old in December. The King had made the possibility of playing with his son an end-of-career goal, returning for two seasons in LA in the wake of Bronny’s draft in June.
“It’s great for both of us, and even more so for our family… It’s a moment that I will never forget,” he added. The Lakers’ 118-114 defeat against the Suns, two weeks before the start of the regular season, is therefore anecdotal. Just like the “stat sheet”: if the father achieved a performance worthy of his status, with 19 points in just 16 minutes of play, the guard Bronny did not score a single point, only attempting one shot in 13 minutes.
In addition to the spectators, witnesses of this historic scene, the Lakers coach did not hide his pride and admiration for the living basketball legend. “I am truly honored to have been a part of this moment in history,” said JJ Redick.
“As a basketball fan, it’s great. And I think that says something about LeBron’s longevity, his competitive spirit. And it also says all the work that Bronny had to do to get there,” he added.
Sent to the G-League?
The Lakers coach therefore gave his support to the rookie. A way of reinforcing the legitimacy of James Jr, who for his part claimed on Monday to be boosted by the taunts according to which he only owes his place to the Lakers because of the title of “son of”.
“I take all that (…) and I transform it into something that nourishes me,” said Bronny James, who played last year at the University of Southern California (USC) and whose future basketball player had been put, like his life, in danger by a cardiac arrest, caused by a congenital malformation of the heart, during training in the summer of 2023. In July, JJ Redick had already assured that he would not had been selected only for his merit, adding: “He is going to have a great opportunity to become an excellent NBA player.”
If the Lakers begin their regular season on October 22 at home against Minnesota, it is not certain, however, that the presence of Bronny James will be guaranteed. Like many rookies drafted in the second round, he could spend most of the season in the G-League, the NBA’s development league.
But, for the father, happiness is already there. “It’s a lot of enthusiasm, pure joy to be able to come to work every day, work hard with your son and continue to see him grow,” he said on Sunday.
