PALM DESERT: LeBron James grew up without a father, and the top scorer in NBA history has often said he savors every moment and milestone he can experience with his own three children.
When he stepped onto a court Sunday night to play alongside his son, Bronny, for the Los Angeles Lakers, this moment was more than basketball history to him.
It was the realization of a family dream.
LeBron and Bronny became the first father and son to play in any NBA game together during the first half of the Lakers ‘ preseason contest against Phoenix, playing just over four minutes side-by-side in the second quarter.
“It’s pretty cool for the both of us, and especially for our family,” LeBron said. “It’s definitely a moment that I will never forget.”
The James family’s remarkable moment coincidentally happened on Bronny’s 20th birthday, and it felt like a celebration for the 39-year-old LeBron, who has spoken about his desire for this opportunity since Bronny was in high school.
Although LeBron knows they’ll get more chances to play together in the Lakers’ upcoming season, the first time on court together in uniform felt “not real” to the four-time NBA champion and 20-time All-Star.
“For a father, it means everything,” LeBron said. “For someone who didn’t have that growing up, to be able to have that influence on your kids and have that influence on your son, be able to have moments with your son — and the ultimate, to be able to work with your son — that’s one of the greatest things that a father could ever hope for or wish for.”
Bronny James entered the preseason game as a substitute to begin the second quarter, joining his father on court at Acrisure Arena in the Coachella Valley. Bronny was told by coach JJ Redick before the game that he would be playing alongside LeBron, but the rookie maintained his usual cool demeanor both before and after the moment.
“I was pretty psyched for that,” Bronny said.
Although he’s much less vocal about the whole situation than LeBron, Bronny is still learning how to navigate an on-court relationship with his father, who has repeatedly insisted that his son can’t call him “Dad” on the court.
“I’m always thinking about, ‘That’s my dad!’, because that’s literally my dad,” Bronny said. “But when I’m playing, he’s just my teammate. That’s all.”
Their minutes together weren’t as smooth as they’ll be later in the season: Bronny committed two turnovers and LeBron made another in their first two minutes. Shortly after LeBron hit a 3-pointer moments later, LeBron got the ball to Bronny and set a screen for his son’s 3-point attempt, but Bronny missed.
“I was really hoping that wing 3 would have gone in,” Redick said with a smile. “That would have been a cool moment. But they’ll have a lot of moments together, I’m sure.”
Bronny came off for a substitute 4:09 into the second quarter, and LeBron came off 25 seconds later at the next dead ball. LeBron had 19 points, five rebounds and four assists in 16 minutes during the first half, and he watched the Lakers’ second half from the bench alongside Anthony Davis.
Bronny played about nine minutes in the second half, but didn’t score in the Lakers’ 118-114 loss to the Suns.
“I just told him, ‘Keep getting better,’” LeBron said. “He’s young. He wants to continue to improve, and that’s what’s most important. So every time you get a moment out there, just continue to make winning plays. Continue to learn from his mistakes and make winning plays.”
LeBron James is beginning his record-tying 22nd season in the NBA, while LeBron James Jr. — known to all as Bronny — was the Lakers’ second-round draft pick this summer. After recovering from cardiac arrest over a year ago, Bronny played just one season at Southern California before entering the draft.
Redick had vowed that the pairing would only happen “in the flow of the game,” and wouldn’t be “gimmicky.”
“I’m thrilled that I get to be a part of this, I really am,” Redick said. “It’s cool as a basketball fan. I think it speaks to LeBron’s longevity, but also his competitive stamina that he’s able to still be doing this in Year 22. It speaks to the work that Bronny has put in to get to this point, and really just the fatherly care, and certainly the motherly care from Savannah as well. Bronny, he’s such a great kid and a pleasure to be around.”
The 6-foot-2 Bronny is expected to spend much of the upcoming season working on his game with the South Bay Lakers of the G League, but he will almost certainly get to play alongside his 6-foot-9 father in a real game early in the regular season.
The games that count begin Oct. 22 at home against Minnesota.
Although LeBron will turn 40 in late December, the top scorer in NBA history has shown no sign of slowing down with age. LeBron sat out of the Lakers’ preseason opener against Minnesota last Friday night, resting up after a full week of training camp following a busy summer. Bronny had two points on 1-for-6 shooting and three blocked shots while playing 16 minutes against the Timberwolves.
LeBron was early in his second NBA season with the Cleveland Cavaliers when he and his high school sweetheart, Savannah Brinson, became parents for the first time in 2004. They had two more children — son Bryce and daughter Zhuri.
LeBron and Bronny have been preparing for the chance to play together ever since LeBron returned from a summer vacation after winning a gold medal with the US team at the Paris Olympics.
The father and son have scrimmaged together repeatedly during workouts at the Lakers’ training complex, both as teammates and opponents.
In the regular season, they’ll join a short list of fathers and sons who have shared a 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 baseball seasons, while hockey great Gordie Howe played with sons Marty and Mark for the Houston Aeros in the WHA and the New England/Hartford Whalers in the WHA and NHL.