PALM DESERT, California, USA. —
LeBron James and his son, Bronny, made NBA history Sunday night by playing together for the first time during the Los Angeles Lakers’ preseason game against Phoenix.
LeBron and Bronny are the first father-son duo to play together in the same NBA game, even on the same team. The historic moment for the James family coincidentally occurred on Bronny’s 20th birthday.
Bronny James entered the game as a substitute to start the second period, joining his father on the floor returning from a timeout. Fans at Acrisure Arena in the Coachella Valley cheered when they heard Bronny’s name.
LeBron James is entering his record-tying 22nd NBA season, while LeBron James Jr. — also known as Bronny — was a second-round draft pick in the summer. After recovering from cardiac arrest more than a year ago, Bronny played just one season at Southern California before entering the draft and joining the Lakers.
Things were not easy for the James family: Bronny fumbled twice and LeBron committed another in the first two minutes they were together. Shortly after LeBron hit a 3-pointer, moments later, LeBron passed the ball to Bronny and set up a screen for his son to attempt a 3-pointer, but Bronny missed.
Bronny came off the field to replace him at 4:09 of the second quarter, and LeBron did so 25 seconds later on the next dead ball play.
Although LeBron will turn 40 at the end of December, the leading scorer in NBA history has shown no signs of declining with age. He has talked for years about his dream of playing in the NBA with one of his sons, and the Lakers made it a reality when they selected Bronny with the 55th pick in the draft.
Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the game that LeBron and Bronny would play together “in the flow of the game,” promising that it wouldn’t be “effective.”
Bronny played about nine minutes in the second half, but did not attempt a shot again in the Lakers’ 118-114 loss to the Suns.
In the regular season, they will join a short list of fathers and sons who have shared the playing field in North American professional sports. Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. played together with the Seattle Mariners during parts of the 1990 and 1991 MLB seasons, while hockey great Gordie Howe played with his sons Marty and Mark for the Houston Aeros of the WHA and the Hartford Whalers of the NHL.
