The NBA season started with a bang thanks to LeBron and Bronny James, the first father/son duo on the same floor Tuesday in Los Angeles with the Lakers, after a grandiose first match for champion Boston.
A man of all records, LeBron James, who is starting his 22nd NBA season at the age of 39 (a record shared with Vince Carter), has once again made history, this time with his family, by playing a basketball match at the highest level with his son Bronny (20 years old) who is starting his career.
The Lakers won 110-103, notably thanks to Anthony Davis (36 points, 16 rebounds), against the Minnesota Timberwolves of Anthony Edwards (27 points) and French pivot Rudy Gobert (13 points, 14 rebounds), including ESPN announced the three-year contract extension starting in 2025.
During the second quarter, Bronny entered the floor for his first followed by his father, with four minutes remaining in the period.
“Are you ready?” Do you see the intensity? Play without restraint,” the father said to the son before entering the fray, according to the television microphones.
The story is beautiful a little more than a year after the cardiac arrest suffered by Bronny James during training with his university team in July 2023. Marked, LeBron James then expressed doubts about the follow-up to be given to his own career, before deciding to extend it, with the desire to share the end with his son, who was able to pick up the thread of his progress.
“I’ve been busy with this league, I’ve spent a lot of time traveling, I’ve missed important moments. So being able to experience this moment where I can work with my son, it’s one of the greatest gifts I can receive,” commented LeBron James.
Uncertain continuation for Bronny
The two players had already played a few minutes together on October 6 in Palm Springs (California), but for a pre-season match against Phoenix.
After this great first, where he played 2 minutes 41 without scoring (1 rebound), the role of Bronny James, drafted in 55th position in June, remains uncertain within the Lakers of new coach JJ Redick.
Far from being as expected as LeBron for his first season in 2003, the young guard should not get many minutes of play and will be called upon to continue his progression between the NBA and the G League, his development championship.
LeBron James, four-time NBA champion, will continue his exceptional career, a little more than two months after being a gold medalist at the Paris Olympic Games this summer with Team USA.
Titled with the Lakers in 2020, the quest for a new trophy however promises to be unpredictable for the “King”, while the squad which was eliminated in the first round of the play-offs by Denver (4-1) in the spring did not move this summer.
AFP AFP AFP
