Sunday was a momentous night for LeBron James and his son Bronny.
The duo shared the court for the first time in the NBA during the Lakers’ preseason game against the Suns, becoming the first father-son pairing to play together in league history.
Bronny, whose 20th birthday was on Sunday, checked into the game with his dad at the beginning of the second quarter and received cheers from the crowd in Palm Springs upon taking the floor.
Bronny came out of the game after committing two turnovers and missing a 3-point attempt in four minutes, and LeBron also committed a turnover while they were on the court together.
First-year Lakers head coach JJ Redick told reporters before the game that the moment wouldn’t be “gimmicky” and that he’d get the two on the floor together “in the flow of the game,” per ESPN.
The 39-year-old LeBron, entering his 22nd NBA season, had long talked about hoping to play with his son in the pros, and that became a reality when the Lakers selected Bronny, born LeBron James Jr., at No. 55 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Bronny played one season at USC, which came after he suffered cardiac arrest in July 2023.
He averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 19.3 minutes per game across 25 appearances for the Trojans.
How much Bronny will get to play in the NBA as a rookie remains to be seen, as it appears likely he’ll spend time with the team’s G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers.
But the Lakers are expected to give LeBron and Bronny a chance to make history in a game that counts as the first father-son duo to play together in a regular-season game.
