LeBron James and his son Bronny James made history Tuesday night when they became the first father and son to play together in the NBA. They helped power the Los Angeles Lakers to a 110-103 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Truthfully, LeBron helped them get the win with 16 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Bronny didn’t score, going 0-2.
The fans in attendance at Crypto.com Arena excitedly cheered them on when they checked in together toward the end of the second quarter. The three-time Olympic gold medalist said, “No matter how old I get, how my memory may fade...I would never forget that moment.”
To mark the history-making moment, we’re exploring some of the most interesting facts from their father-son basketball journey.
LeBron Was a Younger Rookie Than Bronny
LeBron is one of the few NBA stars who skipped college and went straight to the pros from high school. With one and done as a common practice in college, international players becoming more essential and athletes heading to the G League, this may not seem like a big deal now. However, 20 years ago, skipping college basketball wasn’t something the league encouraged. His decision meant the five-time NBA champion was only 19 when he played his NBA rookie season in 2003-04.
Meanwhile, Bronny played for USC, overcoming cardiac arrest in the process. So at 20-years-old, he enters the league slightly older than his dad. It remains to be seen whether this small amount of extra experience will benefit his game, but if nothing else, standing on his own for a little while probably helped build his confidence.
Bronny Can’t Call Him Dad
Since a father and son have never played together before, the duo will have to make the rules up as they go. One that the elder James has already put into effect concerns his name. Back in August, he revealed that his son is not allowed to call him dad when they’re at work. Bronny must refer to his teammate as 23 (LeBron’s jersey number), or Bron. We’re sure this one took some time to get used to, and he likely still slips up occasionally.
Bronny Was a Younger Sports Illustrated Cover Star
While Bronny will have to spend most of his career being compared to his father, there are some milestones that he will reach earlier than LeBron. One of those is appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated. According to People,when Junior appeared on the cover of the long-running sports magazine, he was six months younger than LeBron. A fact that he definitely let his dad know about as they continue their friendly rivalry.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t basketball that landed Bronny on the cover. When he appeared in July 2021, it was with his e-sports teammates from FaZe Clan.
Bronny Beat LeBron’s Alma Mater
Back in 2019, Bronny’s game winner led Sierra Canyon School to victory over St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in the 2019 Scholastic Play By Play Classic. Though there was probably some trash talk going on around the house, LeBron posted a sweet Instagram message recognizing his son’s achievements.
“Last night was such a surreal feeling for me!” he wrote alongside a carousel of videos and photos from the big night. “Watching my son play in our home state vs my Alma mater St. VM who’s still being coached by my mentor, father figure, guy who coached and helped guide me throughout my childhood both on and off the floor Coach Dru Joyce II.”
LeBron Is Treating Him Like Every Other Rookie
Just because his last name is James doesn’t mean Bronny is immune from rookie treatment. In a new Nike ad, dad is seen pranking his son by secretly filling his car with cereal. When the 20-year-old opens the driver side door, the cereal pours onto the driveway. LeBron pulls up, yelling, “Hey rook, you better not be late.” His new teammate responds by telling the NBA vet, “You’re too old for this.” Then he asks his brother Bryce for his car keys.
It’s a cute, lighthearted moment that shows how fun this moment is for the father-son duo and how they’re trying to enjoy every moment.
Going forward, Bronny will likely play for the Lakers’ G League team, which means he and his dad may not get a lot of meaningful NBA playing time together this season.