This NBA season has finally started and one of the biggest stories of the year also unfolded its’ biggest chapter this Tuesday evening, as LeBron James and Bronny officially became the first father and son to ever play together in league history. Fortunately for the pair, this ended on a high note as the Lakers beat the Timberwolves on opening night.
Just like scenes from a movie, the James duo appeared together in the game when they both checked in with 4 minutes left in the second quarter. This meant the 20-year-old’s rookie debut in the big stage, while LeBron had already starred in 13 minutes before he reentered alongside his son.
Just as both players got up from the bench, the Crypto.com Arena began to roar in excitement. “That moment, us being at the scorer’s table together and checking in together, something I will never forget,” the 39-year-old said postgame. “No matter how old I get, no matter how my memory may fade as I get older or whatever, I will never forget that moment.”
LeBron: “You ready?”
Bronny: “Yup.”
This LeBron and Bronny moment mic’d up ❤️🎙️ pic.twitter.com/ffzTOoIdCx
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 23, 2024
The rookie, on the other hand, had his mind set on performing at his best. “I tried not to focus on everything that was going on around me and tried to focus on going in as a rookie and not trying to mess up,” Bronny expressed. “But yeah, I totally did feel the energy, and I appreciate the Laker Nation for showing the support for me and my dad.”
During their time together on the Los Angeles court, the purple and gold were outscored 7-2. Unfortunately for James Jr., he missed an open three-pointer on the wing and later on got blocked by rival Rudy Gobert as he tried to tip in the ball after a hard-fought offensive rebound.
However, just before he missed his attempt from beyond the arc, the crowd shouted with excitement, especially over the fact that he had received the pass from none other than his father.
“We wanted that 3 to go in,” said teammate Anthony Davis, after completing 36 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks. “Bron threw it to him, and we wanted, obviously, for that to go in. But just looking at them checking in at the same time at the scorer’s table, it gave me like a little chills.”
Purple and gold legend Magic Johnson guaranteed recently that Bronny James will become ‘a really good basketball player’
Ever since Bronny expressed his intentions of wanting to go professional as a basketball athlete, so many fans and experts have delivered their sentence over what they believe will become of his career. While most share the reasons why they feel he’s only there because he is LeBron’s eldest son, others are starting to see his true potential.
NBA legend Magic Johnson recently asked the public to remain patient, as the youngster needs time to develop. “Laker Nation, I have to tell you Bronny James is going to be a really good basketball player! Last night, he showed he has a few things you simply can’t teach-high basketball IQ, athleticism, and a competitive spirit that makes him a tenacious defender!” he shared on X.
The Lakers rookie ended the past preseason with averages of 4.2 points and 1.7 rebounds per match while shooting 29.7% from the field in six contests. “I believe after a lot of hard work this season, he’ll definitely be in the Lakers’ rotation and playing heavy minutes,” the Hall of Famer insisted.
“Basketball fans, Bronny James is in good hands with the Lakers, who are great with developing talent,” Magic said about the 55th pick in this year’s NBA Draft. “Two names that I can name recently that I’ve seen firsthand are Alex Caruso and Austin Reaves, who both are starters in the league today. Bronny will be next.”
