Historic Moment for the James Family
LOS ANGELES — LeBron James made headlines two seasons ago when he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. On Tuesday night, he created another historic moment during the Los Angeles Lakers’ season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves by sharing the court with his eldest son, Bronny James. They became the first father-son duo in NBA history to play in a game together when they checked in with 4:00 left in the second quarter.
A Special Experience
“I will never forget that moment,” LeBron said after the game, reflecting on their time at the scorer’s table together. “No matter how old I get, I’ll always remember it.” For Bronny, this game marked his first regular-season appearance as a rookie. “I tried not to focus on everything around me, but I felt the energy,” he shared, expressing gratitude for the support from Lakers fans.
Mixed Performance
During their brief stint on the court, the Lakers were outscored 7-2, with Bronny missing an open three-pointer and getting blocked on a tip-in attempt by Rudy Gobert. The crowd erupted in anticipation when Bronny launched his three-point shot after receiving a pass from LeBron. “We wanted that three to go in,” teammate Anthony Davis remarked. Bronny exited the game with 1:19 left in the half, finishing with one rebound and no points on two attempts. LeBron ended the game with 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Support from the Coach
Bronny, selected by the Lakers as the No. 55 pick in the second round of the NBA draft, faced challenges during preseason, averaging only 4.2 points with a shooting percentage of 29.7%. However, he turned things around in a recent game against the Golden State Warriors, scoring 17 points. First-year Lakers coach JJ Redick supported the rookie, playing him in all six preseason games and consulting both LeBron and Bronny on how to approach their first game together.
A Unique Legacy
LeBron emphasized that they weren’t trying to make the moment about themselves but about the team. As the pair walked towards the scorer’s table, the Crypto.com Arena buzzed with excitement, culminating in a cheer as they officially stepped onto the court. The Jameses joined the ranks of other notable father-son duos in professional sports, including Ken Griffey Jr. and Sr. in baseball and Gordie Howe in hockey.
A Memorable Victory
For the James family, the biggest takeaway from this historic night was not just sharing the court but doing so in a winning effort, as the Lakers secured a 110-103 victory. “This is the first time we had a LeBron moment that was something huge, and we won,” Davis noted, highlighting the significance of the occasion.
