LeBron James and his son, Bronny James, made NBA history on Tuesday as the first father-and-son duo to play together in a regular season game. The historic moment came during the Los Angeles Lakers’ season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Crypto.com Arena.
Late in the second quarter, with the Lakers leading 51-35, the crowd erupted in cheers as the James duo took the court together, a highly anticipated event that had been hinted at but not confirmed by the Lakers prior to the game. LeBron, who turns 40 in December, had long dreamed of sharing an NBA court with his son.
Adding to the Hollywood-style moment, baseball legends Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr., the first father-son pair to play together in Major League Baseball, were in attendance to witness the historic event. “We made history; now we get to watch history,” Griffey Jr. said before posing for photos with the James family.
LeBron expressed his excitement earlier in the day, reflecting on the significance of the moment. “Just to run out the tunnel knowing that he’ll be in uniform… I won’t take it for granted,” he said.
Bronny, 20, was drafted by the Lakers with the 55th pick in June and is expected to spend most of his rookie season in the G-League. His journey to the NBA has been especially notable, as he recovered from a cardiac arrest he suffered during a workout in 2023. LeBron highlighted this recovery as proof of his son’s determination to succeed.
Bronny has faced criticism from some who believe his place in the NBA is due to his father’s influence, but he has embraced the challenge, saying, “I’m just taking all that criticism and backlash and turning it into fuel.”
The Lakers’ campaign is off to a memorable start, with LeBron savoring the chance to guide his son through his early NBA journey.