Father-son milestone: LeBron and Bronny James make Lakers debut together

LeBron James and his eldest son, Bronny James, made NBA history on Sunday as they shared the court for the first time with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The highly anticipated moment occurred during the second quarter of the Lakers' preseason matchup against the Phoenix Suns, held in Palm Desert, California. Despite a competitive effort, the Lakers fell 118-114.

LeBron delivered an impressive performance, racking up 19 points in just 16 minutes and 20 seconds on the court before sitting out the second half. Meanwhile, Bronny found the pace challenging, finishing scoreless in a little over 13 minutes of play, attempting just one shot during his time on the court.

Reflecting on the experience, the 39-year-old LeBron James emphasized the significance of the moment for their family.

"It was cool for both of us, especially our family," LeBron James, 39, said afterwards of playing alongside Bronny, who celebrated his 20th birthday on Sunday. "It's definitely a moment I'll never forget.

"As a father it means everything. For someone who didn't have a dad growing up, to be able to have that influence on your son, to be able to have moments with your son, to work with your son - that's one of the greatest things a father could ever hope for."

LeBron also admitted that certain moments on the court felt surreal.

"We came out of a timeout and we kind of stood next to each other. I kind of looked at him. It was like being in 'The Matrix' or something. It just didn't feel real. But it was great to have those moments."

The anticipation surrounding the duo's debut as the first father-son pairing in the same NBA lineup has been building since the Lakers selected Bronny with the 55th pick in the NBA Draft in June.

New Lakers coach J.J. Redick, who introduced Bronny to the court with the Lakers leading 34-25 in the second quarter, spoke of the unique moment.

"I'm thrilled that I get to be a part of this," Reddick said Sunday after the James double-act.

"It's cool as a basketball fan. I think it speaks to the longevity of LeBron and his competitive stamina. And it speaks to the work that Bronny has done to get to this point."

LeBron has expressed that playing alongside Bronny has rejuvenated him as he embarks on his 22nd season.

"It's a lot of excitement, a pure joy, to be able to come to work every day, put in hard work with your son every day and be able to see him continue to grow," James said.

"We push each other. He pushes me. I push him. We push our teammates, and vice versa. So it's just a very joyous moment not only for myself, but for our family.

"So it's pretty awesome. Gives you a lot of life."

Bronny, meanwhile, addressed those who question whether his place on the Lakers roster is due to his father's influence.

"I'm just taking all that stuff, that criticism and backlash that people have given me and turning it into something that can fuel me," he said.

While Bronny is expected to spend much of his rookie season gaining experience in the developmental G-League, the night marked an important step in his career. The Lakers are set to kick off their 2024-2025 regular season with a home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 22.