Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and his son Bronny made history on Tuesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, becoming the first father-son duo to share the court in an NBA game.
The highly anticipated moment came with four minutes left in the first half, as both players checked into the game with Los Angeles holding a commanding 51-35 advantage.
Just seconds after taking the floor, LeBron James missed a 3-point attempt. On the other end, Minnesota forward Julius Randle scored over Bronny James on the ensuing possession.
Bronny James ended up playing three minutes in the first half, missing both of his field-goal attempts and hauling in an offensive rebound. LeBron James collected eight points and three boards in 17 minutes of action before the break.
Among those who got to witness history were Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr., the first father and son to play alongside each other on the same team in Major League Baseball.
Earlier Tuesday, LeBron James insisted that he wasn’t focused on history potentially being made during the Lakers’ season opener.
“Whenever it happens, it will happen,” LeBron James said following a morning shootaround. “If it’s tonight or if it’s down the line, whenever it happens, it will happen. But it’s been a treat, and just in preseason, the practices, just every day … just bringing him up to speed of what this professional life is all about and how to prepare every day as a professional.”
LeBron James was simply looking forward to his son getting out on an NBA floor, as it has been just over a year since Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest during a preseason workout ahead of his freshman year at Southern California.
“(It was) not too long ago that the scare happened,” LeBron James said. “And when he’s able to grace an NBA floor, if that’s tonight or whenever the case may be, it’ll be another one of those moments just to know the adversity that he went through.
“I’ve had a couple of family members that have had heart surgeries. Some of them older, some of them younger. And to know how long it kind of takes to get back to yourself, to see him be able to play in a college Division I game the same year that he had heart surgery was, like, a ‘wow’ moment.”
Bronny James, 20, first got the opportunity to play with his dad during a preseason game on Oct. 6. He was selected 55th overall by the Lakers in this year’s draft.
LeBron James, 39, began his 22nd NBA season on Tuesday. He is a 20-time All-Star, a four-time Most Valuable Player and four-time NBA champion.
–Field Level Media
