- The Los Angeles Lakers drafted LeBron James’ son, Bronny, with the 55th pick in the NBA Draft this summer.
- Bronny has impressed the team with his defensive work, although he still has to improve on offense.
- On Sunday night, LeBron and Bronny became the first father-son duo to play in an NBA together.
LeBron James has been a part of NBA history throughout his career. “King James” has tons of accolades, including four NBA titles, for Finals MVPs, four regular-season MVPs, and a lifetime of highlights.
However, James might be most proud of the latest piece of history he was a part of. On Sunday night as the Los Angeles Lakers opened their preseason slate against the Phoenix Suns. James shared the court with his son, Bronny, becoming the first father-son duo to play in the NBA together.
James Claims It Was “Surreal” to Share the Floor with Bronny
In a funny twist of fate, it was also Bronny’s 20th birthday on October 6, when the Lakers kicked off the preseason against the Suns. The Jameses made history at the beginning of the second quarter, when Bronny checked in to join LeBron. The elder James tweeted after the game:
James also said in a postgame interview:
"For a father, it means everything. For someone who didn't have that growing up, to be able to have that influence on your kids and have influence on your son. Be able to have moments with your son. And ultimately, to be able to work with your son. I think that's one of the greatest things that a father can ever hope for or wish for."
The Lakers lost to the Suns by a score of 118-114 in their second preseason game. LeBron looked great with 19 points, five rebounds, and four assists in 16 minutes. Bronny played 13 minutes, missing his lone three-point attempt, and he looked like a rookie. But that wasn’t relevant on this night, as many X users celebrated the father-son duo, with then/now images of the Jameses.
Will This Affect the Lakers’ NBA Championship Odds?
Having Bronny on the team won’t affect the Lakers’ NBA championship odds, as he isn’t expected to play a lot in his rookie season. In fact, don’t be surprised if he spends some time in the G League, the NBA’s minor-league association. Bronny is ranked very low in the NBA Rookie of the Year odds for this season, and at best for this campaign, he’ll be one of the last players off the bench for the Lakers.
Bronny came into the season with offensive weaknesses, as he’s not a good shooter, and he has to tighten up his dribbling. The rookie is already a good defender with lots of energy, and that will get him some minutes. But teams are going to sag off him, and dare Bronny to shoot the outside shot.
Everyone involved knew Bronny was going to be a project, and Bronny James prop bets were popular this summer. When the regular season starts, LeBron will have to figure out the balance between father and teammate, but given what he has accomplished in his career, he’s a good bet to do so.
