Bronny James opened up about his experience playing alongside his father, LeBron James, for the first time during the Los Angeles Lakers’ preseason game against the Phoenix Suns, which ended in a 118-114 loss.
“I always think about ‘That’s my dad’ because that’s literally my dad,” Bronny stated after the game. “But when I’m playing, he’s just my teammate. That’s all I focus on.”
The duo shared the court at the beginning of the second quarter, making history as the first active father-son pairing in NBA history after the Lakers drafted Bronny with the 55th pick in the 2024 draft.
Bronny, who played his freshman year at USC, did not hit the court for the Trojans until December 2023 due to cardiac arrest suffered during an offseason workout prior to the 2023-24 season.
Reflecting on his journey to the NBA, the 20-year-old emphasized the importance of staying grounded amidst this historic moment. “It’s just taking everything that has happened to me this year, getting up, and continuing to work every day,” Bronny noted. “Just finding fuel every day to start working.”
LeBron, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, expressed his admiration for their shared achievement, scoring 19 points, along with five rebounds and four assists, while shooting 66.7 percent in the game.
Bronny, on the other hand, is still adjusting on offense, having scored only two points and grabbed three rebounds on 1-7 shooting across two preseason games. However, he excelled defensively, blocking three shots in his debut. He mentioned that head coach JJ Redick has emphasized being a “pest” on defense, which he is focusing on as he steps onto the court.
While it may be challenging for Bronny to secure a regular-season spot on a Lakers team aiming for the playoffs, his effectiveness on defense could earn him increased playing time in the future.