The Los Angeles Lakers aren’t wasting any time in making history with LeBron and Bronny James on the court together in their season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves. During Tuesday’s episode of SportsCenter, ESPN’s Shams Charania hinted that the father-son duo could share the court early in the game, marking a significant moment in NBA history.
“I’m told it’s very likely, and the Lakers plan that LeBron James and Bronny James will make history as the first father-son duo to play together in an NBA game,” Charania explained. “It could happen early in the game, as long as it’s competitive and there’s a good flow to how the Lakers are playing.”
While this has never happened in the NBA before, LeBron has been vocal about wanting to share the court with his son for years, and now it’s on the verge of becoming a reality. According to Charania, the Lakers have spent a lot of time planning for this special moment, making sure it occurs naturally in the flow of the game. As long as the game stays competitive, fans could see both LeBron and Bronny playing together early on Tuesday night.
Though there isn’t a final decision yet on the exact timing of their appearance together, JJ Redick added on Monday that the Lakers are eager to make this happen. “It’s never happened in the NBA before, and it may never happen again,” Redick remarked. “LeBron’s been talking about this for years, and it’s remarkable that he’s spoken it into existence.”
Brian Windhorst heightened the anticipation by reporting that Bronny could make his debut as early as the second quarter.
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The anticipation has been building for quite some time. LeBron and Bronny already shared the court once during the preseason on October 6, when the Lakers faced the Phoenix Suns.
Charania had previously suggested that the father-son duo could play together as soon as opening night, and now it seems the moment is finally at hand.
During the preseason, Bronny’s most significant performance came on October 18, when he started against the Golden State Warriors. With the Lakers resting their starting lineup, Bronny played a career-high 35 minutes, finishing with 17 points, four rebounds, and three steals.
This marked his most extensive playing time since suffering a cardiac arrest in July 2023, prior to his freshman season at USC. It was a remarkable step forward for the 20-year-old, who has shown steady progress after his health scare.
After the game, Redick emphasized that all of these experiences, both good and bad, are important learning opportunities for Bronny and the other young Lakers players. “I think for him and all our younger players, all the moments are building blocks,” Redick noted. “You have to have a level of patience and optimism. The work our young guys have put in is incredible, and this is all part of Bronny’s growth as a player.”
LeBron has long expressed his desire to play alongside his son in the NBA. Back in February 2022, he told The Athletic‘s Jason Lloyd that his final year in the league would be played with Bronny. While there’s no indication that the 2024-25 season will be LeBron’s last, it appears certain that his dream of playing with his son is about to come true.
The Lakers are set to host the Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena at 10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, and all eyes will be on the James family as they look to make NBA history.
Whether it’s in the second quarter or another point in the game, the moment when LeBron and Bronny step onto the court together will be a milestone not just for the Lakers, but for basketball fans everywhere.
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