Bronny James Officially Plays Alongside Father LeBron In Pro Debut For Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers finally did it: they got the photo op they wanted between Bronny and LeBron James.
LeBron subbed into Tuesday night's season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves, alongside son Bronny James, who played three minutes to start his pro debut and missed two shots before he was sent back to the bench.
It was a sweet moment for fans to watch the father-son duo sub onto the court together.
Then reality set in once it became obvious that Bronny was a liability on both sides of the ball.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 22: Bronny James #9 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers warm up prior to the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on October 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
It was a safe window to plug in the 6-foot guard out of USC, and new Lakers coach J.J. Redick had to do well by his former podcast partner.
Bronny entered the game as LA held a 16-point edge in the second quarter.
WATCH:
If there was a truly endearing part of the night, it took place in the pre-game when the 39-year-old vet tried coaching his 20-year-old son on the bench, preparing Bronny for the nerves that come with playing your first game in the pros.
The duo is bound to be the talk of the 2024-25 season. Bronny, specifically, seems to have an equal number of supporters and detractors.
Bronny James averaged 4.8 points on 36.6 percent shooting in his lone season at USC. Despite this, he went 55th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, surpassing most projections that had him going undrafted.
Once he entered the big leagues, Bronny continued to struggle, averaging 4.2 points on 29.7 percent shooting in six games. But it's not as if the Lakers drafted him for his lackluster three-point shooting or undersized frame — they wanted the storyline made for Los Angeles and got it by pairing LeBron with his son on the court.
Before the game, LeBron and Bronny took a picture with Ken Griffey, Sr. and Ken Griffey, Jr. — the original father-son tandem in the pros, though both were highly skilled in their respective careers.
Bronny will be here to stay for one or two seasons; the question remains: What will become of him once LeBron retires?
In the meantime, we'll sit back and enjoy the moment.
Los Angeles Lakers' US small forward #23 LeBron James (L) and Los Angeles Lakers' US guard #09 Bronny James are seen on court during the NBA game season opener between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto Arena in Los Angeles on October 22, 2024. LeBron and Bronny are the first father and son to play together in any NBA game. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP) (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 22: Bronny James #9 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers warm up prior to the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on October 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com