LeBron James barreled through the lane and slammed home a left-handed hammer. He sprung through the air to reject a shot. On the first night of Year 22 — albeit during the preseason — not a lot had changed and James was doing the kinds of things he’s done on the court for a generation. By halftime, he had scored 19 points for the Lakers against the Phoenix Suns.
But Sunday night at the start of the second quarter, he unveiled his latest — and maybe greatest — trick.
LeBron James and his oldest son, Bronny, shared the court together for the first time as professionals for a four-minute, nine-second shift. It was the first time a father and son played together in NBA history.
Although the duo’s debut won’t be official NBA history until they play together during the regular season, Sunday was the first look at the greatest testament to James’ longevity as not just a pro — but as one of the league’s best.
Fittingly, Sunday was Bronny James’ 20th birthday.
“It’s surreal — doing two-on-two, pick-and-rolls together in practice. It’ll be fun when they’re on the court together,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said pregame. “I’m excited about it. I’m very honored that I get to be part of history.”
Viewed as a potential distraction by some NBA insiders, the early returns on the duo playing together have been almost universally positive. Saturday, D’Angelo Russell said he’s enjoyed seeing the off-court moments between the first father-son duo in NBA history.
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“You kind of see the words of wisdom that Bron’s dropping whenever he gets the chance. Pulling his little one to the side, dropping jewels whenever he gets the chance,” Russell said. “I mean, that’s a secret. That’s a cheat to the test, right? You got somebody that has all the answers.”
Sunday, the pair didn’t deliver a highlight play to help celebrate their milestone. The closest they came was when LeBron James flipped the ball to his son, but the Lakers’ rookie guard missed the three pointer.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
